Dean Foods
the number one milk company declared bankruptcy, a company that for many years has produced and sold brands for milk, ice cream, cultured plus many more, has felt the decline in sales with the increase in demand and awareness of plant based products.
Grocery shelves
that were once dominated by dairy are regularly losing shelf space to Soy, Almond, Coconut, Cashew, Hemp and most recently Oat products. From drinkable to scoop-able, the plant based category is chewing away at conventional dairy sales and more interesting and in many instances is costing the consumer more at the register, but demand is indeed there.
According to Nielsen data on AP
oat milk realized a US sales rise 636% to more than $52 million over the past year, while sales of cow’s milk dropped 2.4% in the same time frame. More recently, health and animal-welfare concerns have also contributed to the decline in dairy and more shoppers are seeking out more non-dairy choices than ever before.
See my article on blood type A, where avoiding dairy is beneficial.
Let’s talk ice kream
choices in plant based, non-dairy frozen products. First came So Delicious in pints, a big hit, until soy started receiving bad press, still a presence in the marketplace, but no longer alone in the non-dairy freezer.
Other brands
have followed the plant based field including Häagen-Dazs, Ben & Jerry’s, Tofutti, Breyers, Almond Dream, Steve’s, Nada Moo, Van Leeuwen, Cado and Talenti, there’s more, but that’s enough for you to get a picture.
Plant Based is the new sexy term for Non-Dairy:
In My Opinion, plant based sounds a lot more authentic and sell-able than “non-dairy”, especially when the term has been associated with products starting back in the 1950’s with such powders like Coffee mate, which was created for a far different purpose than todays’ product lines.
Coffee mate
may not include dairy, but look at the ingredients and judge for yourself on how beneficial it is (or not)
Corn Syrup Solids, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Coconut and/or Palm Kernel and/or Soybean), and Less than 2% of Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative)**, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Annatto Color. **Not a Source of Lactose.
Marketing to non – dairy customers:
Initially the sales pitch could be, toss a jar of powder into your briefcase and use in your coffee throughout the day, because it doesn’t require refrigeration, a big deal in the day. Today’s customer is trending more towards plant based products for a whole different reason, such as animal treatment, environmental, health or carbon footprint.
Who’s interested in plant based products:
Millennial and Gen Z generations are much more prone and concerned about animal welfare than boomers and older, however Boomers like myself and the Silent Generation trend for health reasons. Then there are the individuals who are lactose intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk, avoid for religious purposes or simply a practicing vegan.
Your portfolio of products:
I recommend the importance that if your business is in hard pack or soft serve, to now have both categories available. The conventional way of thinking to simply offer a selection of dairy or non-dairy product can prevent the business from achieving its maximum capability and gross revenue potential.
I cannot emphasize enough to a client
if you’re fortunate to have a stranger walk into your shop, then be prepared to offer a wide variety of product categories, otherwise you’ll see the person exit faster than they entered.
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