How many kinds of milk are in your refrigerator? In our house, there’s 2% milk for my husband and cooking, and ultrafiltered milk for me. In some households, there might be almond milk for mom’s coffee, oat milk for cereal, whole milk for the toddler, and 1% for dad and the older children. If a hybrid plant/dairy milk fulfilled multiple needs, would consumers buy it? That’s a question that a few innovative brands are exploring and betting on.
Depending on which survey you read, as few as 7% or as many as 42% of global consumers identify as flexitarians, or those looking to consume more plant-based foods, but who also are consuming traditional animal products. According to the International Food Information Council’s 2022 Food and Health Survey, 12% of consumers are following a plant-based eating pattern, and 21% of consumers surveyed said, “I wanted to eat in a way that would be good for the environment.”