Oatly, the dairy-alternative brand, is expanding its ambient portfolio with the launch of three long-life oat milk products that are identical in taste to its existing cold-storage offerings. These releases aim to offer greater choice for consumers who are shopping for dairy alternatives. The new 1L products include Oatly Light, Oatly Semi, and Oatly Whole, and are launching in the UK, Nordics, DACH, and Benelux regions. The formula for the new releases is based on The Original drink, but the Whole version has a higher fat content of 2.8g compared to 1.5g for Semi and No Sugars. All three products contain 10% oats, as well as vitamins (D2, B12, B2), minerals (calcium carbonate and potassium iodide), water, salt, and rapeseed oil.
According to Bryan Carroll, general manager at Oatly UK&Ireland, the upgraded recipe also offers better functionality for all purposes, including in hot drinks. Carroll added that the availability of dairy, falling back into it by accident, and the hassle of trying to eliminate it were the top reasons why consumers return to dairy, as revealed by Oatly’s consumer research data. The company’s new product line aims to address these issues by providing consumers with more options that they are familiar with.
Despite demand for meat and dairy alternatives slowing down, plant-based milk sales in the UK grew by 17% between 2020-2022. However, the price of plant-based milk is still higher than that of cow’s milk. In response, Oatly is opening its first UK-based factory this year, and has plans to launch a soft-serve ice cream. The company’s mission is to make dairy alternatives more accessible, mirroring the choices shoppers are used to with dairy, without having to compromise on taste, performance, or nutrition.
