According to Chicago-based Mintel’s April 2013 report “Dairy and Non-dairy Milk – US,” the “other milk” segment, which includes ready-to-drink milk or milk substitutes, refrigerated kefir/milk substitutes/soy milk, and refrigerated milkshakes/non-dairy drinks, makes up 7.3 percent of the total U.S. dairy and non-dairy milk market. This represents a more than 30 percent increase in market share since 2010, it reports. Mintel also predicts that this category will continue to see growth through 2017 to reach nearly $2.9 billion in sales.

 Dairy alternative drinks are becoming so mainstream that they might soon deserve their own name, says David Sprinkle, research director and publisher of Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md.  

 Soymilk continues to be the most popular dairy alternative beverage today, Virginia Lee, senior research analyst at Chicago-based Euromonitor International, told Beverage Industry in its November issue.  

Shifts among category leaders took place in the dairy alternatives market as almond milk and kefir helped contribute to category growth. The refrigerated kefir, milk substitutes and soymilk category grew 16.4 percent for $608.3 million in sales, according to SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 15 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart.