Waitrose reveals that their sales of oat milk have risen by 113% over the past year.
British supermarket Waitrose has revealed its oat milk sales have surged by 113% over the last year. The company also said its online searches for the product have increased up to 210%, while ‘barista oat milk’ is up 1,517% compared to last year.
The company believes people are trying to recreate coffee shop-style drinks in the safety of their homes. Its partner store John Lewis saw an increase in customers buying whole bean coffee and coffee-making equipment shortly before lockdown.
To keep up with the sales, Waitrose has announced they will be expanding their oat milk varieties on August 5 by launching two dairy-free oat drinks by Minor Figures. The brand specialises in products developed to make the perfect dairy-free coffee, but can also be used in tea, smoothies and cereals.
In a statement to Plant Based News, Alice Shrubsall, buyer for Long Life Milk & Dairy Alternatives at Waitrose, said: “The demand from our customers for alternative milks continues to rise, with oat milk proving particularly popular, so we know these varieties will be the perfect addition to our range and we can’t wait for shoppers to try them.
“We predict that, as social distancing restrictions lift, sales will continue to do so too, as more of our customers continue to work from home and enjoy their barista-style coffee while doing so.”
CEO and co-founder of Minor Figures, Stuart Forsyth, added: “We’re all coffee people, and wanted to reflect that by creating a product that would allow baristas to heighten their customers’ own coffee-drinking experience. The desire for decent dairy-free products is huge, and only getting bigger, with café customers choosing oat in and out of home.”
Oat milk is considered to be the most popular form of alternative milk as its taste and texture are similar to conventional milk, and the dairy alternatives market is valued to be worth $36.7 billion by 2025. Plant-based brand Oatly is also dominating the oat milk market and was recently given a $200 million investment by Blackstone and a group of celebrities to further expand their international market.
