The plant-based milk industry continued to grow and thrive over the course of the past year. With consumers opting for dairy alternatives, many of these milks have become mainstream. The overall industry saw $2.2 billion in sales over the course of 52 weeks ending May 15, according to data from Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI). The category sales were up 4.4% from last year during that period of time. 

In Beverage Industry’s November 2021 eMagazine, Dasha Shor, global food analyst and registered dietitian for Chicago-based Mintel, said about 40% of adults in the United States buy almond milk, a close second to unflavored dairy milk. 

“As the most commonly purchased dairy-alternative milk segment, almond milk currently ranks highest in associations with important attributes, such as nutritious and good tasting, and good for common use cases like cooking and in coffee,” Shor said. 

*Includes brands not listed
Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Total U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores, mass merchandisers, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains for the 52 weeks ending May 15.

Almond milk, the most popular plant-based milk, saw sales hit $1.4 billion during the course of the year. Despite impressive-sounding sales, almond milk sales actually were down 2.8% compared with last year, IRI reported. Blue Diamond, the leading almond milk brand, was down 8% at $558 million in sales. The second most-selling brand, Silk, had sales hit $520 million, up just 2.2% over those 52 weeks, as reported by IRI. 

Contrastingly, IRI reported that refrigerated oat milk sales were up 55.3% from last year totaling $443 million. The Top 5 brands — Planet Oat, Oatly, Chobani, Silk and Califia Farms — nearly matched the category’s jump in dollar sales. Planet Oat saw a 55.7% increase from last year, while Oatly and Chobani saw increases of 57.9% and 56.8%, respectively. 

What’s up with oat milk? 

Oat milk surpassed soy milk to become the second most-popular plant-based milk, behind almond milk. John Crawford, vice president of client insights for dairy at IRI Worldwide, suggested that consumers enjoy oat milk “because it provides fiber and texture similar to dairy milk.” 

“The pandemic has accelerated the pace at which consumers are refocusing their diet around plants,” Mintel’s Shor said. “In 2020, nearly half of total dairy-alternative category consumption was motivated by personal or household allergies and intolerances. In 2021, this motivator moved down to the No. 5 position, overtaken by purchase motivators related to health perceptions, variety and general plant-based eating aspirations.”

*Includes brands not listed
Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Total U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores, mass merchandisers, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains for the 52 weeks ending May 15.

IRI reported that Planet Oat saw $161 million in sales over the course of the past year. No. 2 Oatly hit $99 million and No. 3 Chobani reached $79 million. Simply’s oat milk saw a jump in sales of 416.7% totaling $3.5 million. 

As for regular, refrigerated, white dairy milk, the category saw a whopping $14.7 billion in sales, up just 3.2% from last year. Private label holds the No. 1 spot with a whopping $7.8 billion, a significantly large gain from No. 2 Hood‘s $922 million. 

Mintel’s Shor told Beverage Industry that, despite not being the fastest-growing segment, dairy milk still drives “the overall success of the dairy category.” The familiarity of dairy milk, whether in the form of a bowl of cereal or in a recipe, is something consumers continue to appreciate. 

Refrigerated flavored milk, a segment of dairy milk, saw $1.7 billion in sales. Private label, Fairlife, Borden and Prairie Farms are the Top 5 brands in the category. Most brands saw at least an 11% increase in sales over the last year, IRI reported. 

“The dairy industry feels consumers already know the benefits of calcium, protein and vitamin D, but younger consumers may not know,” IRI’s Crawford said. “Touting the benefits already in the product can help revitalize dairy.”