Alternative Dairy Co triples sales

The Alternative Dairy Co has experienced the strongest sales on record for its home-grown range of barista plant milks, despite the negative impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the nation’s cafè businesses.
The Australian owned and made brand has seen its sales triple in the first quarter of FY21, compared to the last quarter of FY20. This has been fuelled by a clear shift in consumer preference towards locally made products and a fast-growing taste for plant milks by Australia’s sophisticated coffee drinkers – 55% of whom prefer their morning brew at their local café and overwhelmingly want their coffee white.
In recent years dairy-free milk alternatives have continued to surge in popularity, with almond milk officially overtaking soy as the most requested dairy alternative in 2019. Almond milk is tipped to continue to grow, but it is oat milk’s dairy-like taste and creamy texture that has industry pundits predicting it’s the plant milk to watch over the next five years.
The Alternative Dairy Co enjoys the backing of Sanitarium Health Food Company, an Australian-owned company that is largely credited for introducing Australians to soy milk in the 1980s and has enjoyed success with its market-leading So Good brand for more than three decades. According to Steve Beams, Sanitarium Health Food Company, general manager – sales, the reason people were increasingly turning to plant milks was two-fold.
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“People have long been attracted to the health benefits of plant milks, but a growing number of socially conscious consumers are now also seeking food and drinks with stronger sustainability credentials. In coffee, the decision to switch from dairy to a plant milk is now easy too, because it no longer represents a compromise on the coffee experience,” said Beams.
While this trend is adding momentum to the uptake in plant milks, Mr Beams explains it also gives The Alternative Dairy Co a strong market advantage, particularly in competing with some of the global dairy free milk brands.
“The Alternative Dairy Co source Australian almonds from the Murray-Darling region. Our supplier Select Harvests is committed to sustainable agriculture and has implemented some innovative solutions at their orchards to minimise the use of water and energy and support bee health. All our oats are locally grown too.
“Using Australian ingredients is a win-win because we’re getting the best quality raw ingredients while supporting Australian agriculture. Plus, we make all our milks on the New South Wales Central Coast.”
Australians have always loved the idea of supporting Australian owned businesses and locally made products, but the COVID-19 pandemic has seen consumers turning this sentiment into action. This is another trend that has played to The Alternative Dairy Co’s advantage.
“What we have seen in the last few months is an increasing push in the marketplace for people wanting to support local – both in terms of the businesses in their neighbourhood, but also the products they sell. Our plant milks not only tick this box, but they’re as good as if not, better than – any other product on the market,” said Beams.