One of the latest trends taking over social media is how to make Erewhon Market smoothies at home. The Los Angeles-based market features special smoothies from celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie Grainge.

Many of these viral smoothies from Erewhon share a common ingredient: MALK.

The Austin, Texas-based MALK brand was born in 2015. CEO Jason Bronstad explains that the motivation behind its founding was to offer the cleanest and healthiest plant-based milk options available.

“MALK aimed to create a product that stood out for its transparency and simplicity and used only a few organic ingredients and no gums, fillers or oils,” he explains. “MALK’s goal has always been to encourage customers to be more conscious of the ingredients they consume, as highlighted by our #turnitaround campaign.”

Bronstad describes the plant-based milk market as having seen significant growth during the past 10 years.

“More consumers are becoming aware of health and sustainability issues, which drives the demand for cleaner, healthier alternatives to traditional dairy,” Bronstad says. “This trend is evident across various age groups, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge. As a result, the market is rapidly expanding, with a strong focus on products that offer transparency and simple, organic ingredients.”

Based on more recent consumption data, Bronstad observes that consumers are voting with their wallets and shifting away from value brands that do not align with their health-focused diets. He says that several consumer trends are contributing to the performance of the plant-based milk market.

“Consumers are increasingly seeking out products with clean labels, minimal ingredients and organic certification,” Bronstad shares. “Health and wellness are major factors as people look for alternatives that are free from additives, gums, fillers and oils.”

Standing out on the shelves

MALK’s portfolio of plant-based milk is different from others on the market.

Bronstad says this is because of the brand’s “unwavering commitment” to transparency and simplicity.

“Our products are certified organic and only contain three to six simple ingredients,” he notes. “And unlike many other brands out there, they are free from gums, fillers and oils. We source high-quality, organic whole foods to create our products and ensure that our partners maintain high standards in growing and processing the raw materials we use.”

Regarding what drives its rapid growth, the CEO credits MALK’s dedication to quality and transparency, as such factors resonate with health-conscious consumers.

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As we expand our product offerings, we ensure that each remains true to our mission to contain nothing but clean, minimal ingredients.”

— Jason Bronstad, CEO of MALK, Image courtesy of MALK

Recently, the brand has expanded its core product line to include Unsweetened Almond, Vanilla Almond, Chocolate Almond, Original Oat, Vanilla Oat and Cashew milks.

“We also recently entered the creamer category with Vanilla Almond, Caramel Almond and Lightly Sweetened Oat and debuted shelf-stable versions of our Unsweetened Almond and Original Oat core SKUs,” Bronstad shares. “As we expand our product offerings, we ensure that each remains true to our mission to contain nothing but clean, minimal ingredients.”

MALK also has significantly grown its retail presence. Bronstad says that the brand has partnered with major retailers like Publix, Albertsons and Target, and recently completed a $7 million Series B2 funding round to support further expansion and innovation.

As for which SKUs are most successful, Bronstad points to the consumer.

“Success is defined by our ability to ensure that more consumers have access to our clean ingredient brand,” he says. “We are inspired by the reception of our brand as we continue to expand into new retailers and categories.”

In reviewing MALK’s portfolio over the past 52 weeks, Bronstad shares that all of its SKUs are contributing to a plus 91% growth rate, according to SPINS data recorded in the 52 weeks ending June 16 for all outlets.

The most recently released varieties are the “cleaner creamers,” which include Vanilla Almond, Caramel Almond and Lightly Sweetened Oat.

“These were created in response to consumer demand for cleaner, plant-based creamer options,” Bronstad says. “We saw a gap in the market for high-quality, organic creamers and developed these products to meet the need.”

He adds that the company’s focus this year is on the successful launch of creamers, shelf-stable and Cashew MALK SKUs.

With a robust distribution footprint across the United States, MALK has partnered with major retailers like Whole Foods, Publix, Albertsons and Target. Bronstad explains this allows the brand to “reach a wide audience of health-conscious consumers.”

He notes that MALK is the top-selling plant-based milk at Sprouts and Erewhon.

“Our mission remains to ensure that consumers can buy MALK wherever they buy their groceries,” Bronstad adds. “Consumers have made it clear that they are looking for clean, organic products and we are focused on continuing to make MALK more accessible for them.”

One of the most successful marketing programs the brand has employed is its #turnitaround campaign.

“This initiative encourages consumers to look at the ingredient labels on the products they are consuming and make sure they can recognize all of the ingredients,” Bronstad says. “The campaign has raised significant awareness about the importance of brand transparency in food and beverage and beyond and has helped differentiate MALK from other brands in the space.”

Additionally, MALK’s social media efforts and partnerships with health and wellness influencers have “effectively reached and engaged” the brand’s target audience, Bronstad states.

The MALK movement

As for what else consumers should know about MALK, the CEO emphasizes the brand’s dedication to the mission of ensuring consumers can buy organic, clean products to share with their families.

“This isn’t what we do, this is who we are,” Bronstad says. “Consumers should know that MALK is dedicated to providing the cleanest, healthiest plant-based milk options available. We are committed to transparency and our products are designed to support a healthy lifestyle to align with our consumers’ values of health, sustainability and quality.”

He adds that the brand is continuously striving to innovate and improve its offerings to meet the needs of health-conscious consumers.

Looking ahead, Bronstad considers the future of the plant-based milk market to be very promising, with continued growth thanks to health and sustainability concerns.

“MALK is well-positioned to lead the charge, as our commitment to transparency and quality resonates with the values of today’s consumers,” he says. “We will continue to innovate and expand our product line, enhance our sustainability practices and raise consumer awareness about the benefits of our products. MALK aims to be at the forefront of the evolution of the plant-based milk market, setting new standards for purity and transparency.”