Plenish is entering the flavoured m*lk category with Dark Cocoa and Sea Salt Almond Drink, a new plant-based beverage designed to combine intense dark cocoa with delicate almond notes and a smooth, creamy texture. The cocoa used in the recipe is sourced through a partnership with Tony’s Open Chain. Consumers can buy the product from Ocado and plenishdrinks.com, with a recommended retail price starting at £2.50.
The product arrives as the flavoured m*lk segment reaches a value of £19.2m and records 12% year-on-year growth, outperforming the unflavoured category. This performance reflects wider food and beverage industry trends and changing food and drink consumer trends, particularly the demand for indulgent products with more considered nutritional profiles. With 23% of consumers seeking to cut their sugar intake, Plenish’s new drink contains 30% less sugar than most chocolate-flavoured plant-based drinks sold in the UK. It also contains no additives, oils or artificial ingredients, giving shoppers another option for enjoying flavoured m*lks while managing sugar consumption.
The launch also highlights the role of food and drink industry innovation in developing products that align taste, convenience and responsible sourcing. Through its collaboration with Tony’s Open Chain, Plenish is supporting a farmer-first cocoa supply model focused on human rights and environmental protection. Tony’s Open Chain works with cocoa communities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to challenge poverty and structural inequality while promoting fairer, more balanced relationships between farmers and businesses.
These priorities reflect broader food and drink sustainability expectations, alongside developments in food manufacturing trends and food processing technology that are helping brands respond to evolving consumer needs. They are also increasingly relevant to food and drink regulations, food and drink packaging decisions, food and drink marketing strategies and changing food distribution trends across retail and online channels.
Russell Goldman, managing director of Breakthrough Brands at Carlsberg Britvic, says, “We know today’s consumers are increasingly looking for ways to enjoy their favourite treats while also maintaining their health goals. That’s why we wanted to take our first step into flavoured m*lks and create a product that on great taste whilst staying true to our minimal ingredient promise. We’re proud to partner with Tony’s Open Chain to offer consumers something genuinely delicious that’s also thoughtfully made.”
Kitty Pandya, partnerships manager at Tony’s Open Chain said about the launch: “What excites us most about Plenish joining Tony’s Open Chain is what it means for cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. No single company can fix the broken cocoa system alone, and that’s exactly why Tony’s Open Chain exists. The more companies that commit to traceability and higher prices for farmers, the louder the message becomes: change is not just possible, it’s already happening. We are delighted to welcome Plenish to Tony’s Open Chain as a Mission Ally.”
