John Crawford, senior vice president, Client Insights-Dairy, for Chicago-based research Circana, opines that any struggles seen are in dairy alternative beverages are not specifically related to the dairy industry communicating to end consumers differently than before. However, there are notable “exceptions, like fairlife, which has the quadfecta; high protein, less sugar, lactose free and extended shelf life,” he notes.

The good news is that although almond milk drove the entire plant-based category down, other subcategories showed strength. A rock star for the 52 weeks ending Sept. 7 was coconut milk. Its dollar sales picked up an impressive 15% YoY to nearly $126 million, paired well with a 10% YoY unit sales gain to 29 million, reports Circana.

Conversely, results for oat milk and soy milk were mixed. Oat milk’s dollar sales ticked down slightly by 0.3% YoY to $598 million, but unit sales gained YoY by 0.6% to 135.7 million. Soy milk had the opposite story. Dollar sales were positive, gaining 3% YoY to $185 million, but unit sales dropped 1% YoY to just shy of 45 million.

If we had to characterize plant-based milk alternative sales as a song, they were definitely nowhere near the level of a nasty “breakup” song, like Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” or Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own.” However, the overall category has been "singing the blues" recently.

According to Chicago-based research firm Circana, the entire plant-based milk category suffered a 3% year over year (YoY) dollar sales decline to $2.4 billion for the 52 weeks ending Sept. 7, while unit sales suffered a steeper 5% YoY drop to 597 million. The main culprit, which perhaps needs to — in Swift’s words “Shake It Off” — is almond milk. The subcategory’s dollar sales declined 6% YoY to $1.44 billion, paired with a 9% YoY unit sales loss to 370 million.

Future hits?

Let’s go beyond just plant-based milk and take a look at some of the dairy alternative beverages that were introduced this year, starting with La Farge, Wis.-based Organic Valley, which launched its first organic oat-based product line: Organic Valley Oat Creamers. The new oat creamers debuted in four flavors: vanilla, caramel, oatmeal cookie, and cinnamon spice. The product line was expanded later in the year to add Original and Creamy flavors.

“We’re excited to introduce the new Organic Valley Oat Creamers because we know that many of our loyal Organic Valley milk buyers also purchase plant-based beverages, which makes it a natural evolution for our cooperative,” said Laurie Drake, vice president of marketing, Organic Valley. “We’re always looking to raise the bar with product innovation and now our consumers have even more creamer options in a plant-based form.”

Los Angeles-based Califia Farms debuted Simple & Organic holiday almond creamers. Available in Organic Pumpkin Spice, Organic Maple, and Organic Holiday Spice, each creamer makes festive flavors. “From the cozy richness of pumpkin spice to the delightful flavors of maple and holiday spice, we can’t wait to share these organic seasonal creamer options with our fans for the first time," notes Suzanne Ginestro, chief marketing officer at Califia Farms. "The love for our Simple & Organic line keeps growing and the passion for products made with the irresistible goodness of plants is here to stay.”

Also recently released was Maïzly, a creamy milk made from freshly grown corn. Headquartered in South Africa, Maïzly performs like dairy — frothing, blending, and baking — but it’s powered by corn fiber and chickpea protein for a gut-healthy, nutrient-rich experience with 8g of fiber per serving, excellent source of vitamin A, D and E and a good source of calcium, the company states. “For all the people out there who have been desperately seeking a replacement for plant milks that can’t seem to get away from seed, nut, and vegetable oils, Maïzly makes it easy. We too were frustrated trying to find alternatives, and so we unleashed the power of corn. The result was an irresistibly creamy and tasty milk with so many healthy benefits,” says Maïzly founder and CEO Tim Leclercq.

Chile-based Benexia launched Seeds of Wellness Chia Milk, a plant-based milk made from whole chia seeds. The product debuted exclusively in select Costco locations across California, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii as well as nationwide on Amazon. "Chia Milk from Seeds of Wellness stands apart from other plant-based milk options with its exceptional quality, health attributes, and environmental stewardship," the company states.

Whole Moon introduced a new coconut milk that the Albany, N.Y.-based company says uses whole coconut meat, no oils, creams or parts to deliver exceptional taste and “superior nutrition.” "We're thrilled to offer consumers the first coconut milk made from whole coconut meat — no creams, no oils, just pure, whole ingredients," relays Susan Knight, president of Whole Moon. "This addition to our lineup stays true to our mission of delivering Whole Protein nutrition and a rich, satisfying taste in every sip. It's exactly what consumers love and what we're known for."

Poland-based PKN debuted PKN Zero pecan milk. The new PKN Zero offers a simple, nutritious non-dairy milk with a subtle taste of roasted pecans, reminiscent of pecan pie, with a buttery texture without gums, added sugar, or other additives, the company says. “Many of our early customers asked for a pecan milk option that brings out the pecan taste and nutrition made with simple ingredients. Research shows that in 2024, more than 25% of consumers who choose to buy plant-based milks prefer simple ingredients they understand and can pronounce,” stresses Laura Shenkar, CEO, founder and inventor of PKN. “Over the past year, we developed new roasting techniques to further bring out the innate, beloved flavor of pecans.”

In other dairy alternative news, Elmhurst 1925 partnered with Costco to launch an exclusive three-pack of its Unsweetened Cashew Milk. Debuting at Costco locations throughout the Los Angeles area and Hawaii, the three-pack is available at a suggested retail price of $13.69. “We’re thrilled to be entering the club channel for the first time with Costco,” says Heba Mahmoud, senior director of Brand Innovation at Elmhurst 1925. “This marks a major milestone in our mission to bring shoppers the cleanest, most nutritious plant-based alternatives. With Costco, we’re excited to reach more households than ever before. Our creamy Unsweetened Cashew Milk has been a customer favorite for years, and this new club pack format makes it even easier for families to stock up.”

Lastly, fall means temperatures are dropping and Oatly recently released what it feels will be a hit in the dairy alterative beverage space: Hot Cocoa Oatmilk. “We’ve made you the perfect hot cocoa. You just have to do the ‘hot’ part if you don’t mind. It’s a delicious chocolatey treat ready to warm you up in the most charmingly cozy way known to humankind,” the Switzerland-based company concludes. The product is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and kosher pareve. DF