According to Chicago-based Mintel’s April 2013 report “Dairy and Non-dairy Milk – US,” the “other milk” segment, which includes ready-to-drink milk or milk substitutes, refrigerated kefir/milk substitutes/soy milk, and refrigerated milkshakes/non-dairy drinks, makes up 7.3 percent of the total U.S. dairy and non-dairy milk market. This represents a more than 30 percent increase in market share since 2010, it reports. Mintel also predicts that this category will continue to see growth through 2017 to reach nearly $2.9 billion in sales.
As part of this upward trend for dairy-alternative beverages, the refrigerated milk substitutes market grew approximately 15 percent to more than $1 billion in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, mass market retailers, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains for the 52 weeks ending May 19, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI).