Quaker Is Set to Launch Bottled Oat Milk Next Year
Photo: Quaker/natrot/Shutterstock
Earlier this year, we forecasted that oat milk would be the hottest plant-based milk on the market. Alt-milk drinkers love oat milk as a creamy, frothy addition to their morning latte, or splashed into their bowl of granola. While you can easily make it at home, finding oat milk in a grocery store has been next to impossible for most shoppers. One of the only oat milk manufacturers in the U.S., Oatly, is regularly sold out or unavailable at retailers like Whole Foods and Wegmans.
That's why plant-based milk lovers got really excited when the New York Times revealed that Quaker Oats is planning on a nationwide launch of bottled oat milk early next year. Alongside varieties such as almond, cashew, pea, and macadamia milk, oat milk is a smooth, dairy-free alternative suitable for vegans, those with dairy sensitivities, or those looking to cut down on calories.
According to the New York Times, PepsiCo (the parent company behind Quaker Oats) unveiled their newest addition to the plant-based milk category at an industry trade show last weekend, but they plan to distribute oat milk to all stores by March. There will be three different flavors available to shoppers-original, unsweetened original, and vanilla-starting in January. According to Quaker Oats representatives, a 48-ounce bottle of oat milk will sell for $4.29 in most stores.
Quaker Oats will soon introduce its version of oat milk in a bid to claim a big piece of the fast-growing market for alternatives to cow's milk https://t.co/GYBK8b3UMc
— NYT Business (@nytimesbusiness) October 20, 2018
Representatives from the Quaker Oats team say that the new oat milk is designed to earn a heart-healthy designation from the FDA. Each serving reportedly contains .75 grams of a fiber called beta-glucan, which may help prevent heart disease, systemic inflammation, and help manage weight loss, says Jamie Vespa, MS, RD. Each 8-ounce serving of Quaker's oat milk also ranges between 30 and 50 calories.
Oat milk's slightly higher fiber content could make it a better choice when it comes to breakfast and your daily cup of Joe, but it won't be enough to fully supplement a high fiber diet.
According to the Times, PepsiCo is pushing past sugar-filled sodas and salty snacks to begin selling healthier items, and given that alternative milk sales exceeded $2 billion in 2017, it's clear that plant-based milk might be the new frontier of ready-to-drink beverages.
This story was originally published on CookingLight.com by Zee Krstic.
