Danish Dairy Giant Arla Joins Plant-Based Craze With Oat Drinks

(Bloomberg) -- One of Europe’s top milk producers is jumping on the dairy-free craze.

Arla Foods amba is introducing three oat drinks to meet consumer demand for plant-based alternatives, the Danish cooperative said Thursday. The products, available under a new brand named Jord, will first be available for sale in Denmark, the U.K. and Sweden.

Dairy companies are moving into other products alongside traditional milk as consumers buy more oat, almond and soy drinks and cut back on animal produce amid health and environmental concerns. Sales of plant-based alternatives rose 16% to $18.3 billion in the five years though 2019, and make up more than 10% of the traditional milk market, Euromonitor International data show.

“In recent years, an increasing number of consumers are looking for plant-based products,” Arla said. “The trend is set to continue.”

The oat drinks Arla is introducing are made with organic ingredients and contain up to 50% more oats than current market leaders, it said, adding that it may expand products and sell in more markets in the future.

To contact the reporter on this story: Agnieszka de Sousa in London at atroszkiewic@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lynn Thomasson at lthomasson@bloomberg.net, Nicholas Larkin, Liezel Hill

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.