Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Plant-Based Beverages

2022 State of the Beverage Industry | Plant-based dairy alternatives persistently grow

Oat milk sales surge as health perceptions drive segment

By Chloe Alverson, Associate Editor
Ripple Foods Oatmilk
July 6, 2022

The plant-based milk industry continued to grow and thrive over the course of the past year. With consumers opting for dairy alternatives, many of these milks have become mainstream. The overall industry saw $2.2 billion in sales over the course of 52 weeks ending May 15, according to data from Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI). The category sales were up 4.4% from last year during that period of time. 

In Beverage Industry’s November 2021 eMagazine, Dasha Shor, global food analyst and registered dietitian for Chicago-based Mintel, said about 40% of adults in the United States buy almond milk, a close second to unflavored dairy milk. 

“As the most commonly purchased dairy-alternative milk segment, almond milk currently ranks highest in associations with important attributes, such as nutritious and good tasting, and good for common use cases like cooking and in coffee,” Shor said. 

 

Top RFG almond milk (individual brands)

DOLLAR SALES % CHANGE vs PRIOR YEAR MARKET SHARE % CHANGE vs PRIOR YEAR
1 Blue Diamond $558,792,386 -8 37.4 -2.1
2 Silk $520,393,391 2.2 34.8 1.7
3 Private Label $271,048,853 -4.6 18.1 -0.3
4 Califia Farms $100,196,896 0.9 6.7 0.3
5 Simply $33,202,449 20.7 2.2 0.4

Category Total* $1,494,483,457 -2.8 100 ---

*Includes brands not listed
Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Total U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores, mass merchandisers, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains for the 52 weeks ending May 15.

 

Almond milk, the most popular plant-based milk, saw sales hit $1.4 billion during the course of the year. Despite impressive-sounding sales, almond milk sales actually were down 2.8% compared with last year, IRI reported. Blue Diamond, the leading almond milk brand, was down 8% at $558 million in sales. The second most-selling brand, Silk, had sales hit $520 million, up just 2.2% over those 52 weeks, as reported by IRI. 

Contrastingly, IRI reported that refrigerated oat milk sales were up 55.3% from last year totaling $443 million. The Top 5 brands — Planet Oat, Oatly, Chobani, Silk and Califia Farms — nearly matched the category’s jump in dollar sales. Planet Oat saw a 55.7% increase from last year, while Oatly and Chobani saw increases of 57.9% and 56.8%, respectively. 

What’s up with oat milk? 

Oat milk surpassed soy milk to become the second most-popular plant-based milk, behind almond milk. John Crawford, vice president of client insights for dairy at IRI Worldwide, suggested that consumers enjoy oat milk “because it provides fiber and texture similar to dairy milk.” 

“The pandemic has accelerated the pace at which consumers are refocusing their diet around plants,” Mintel’s Shor said. “In 2020, nearly half of total dairy-alternative category consumption was motivated by personal or household allergies and intolerances. In 2021, this motivator moved down to the No. 5 position, overtaken by purchase motivators related to health perceptions, variety and general plant-based eating aspirations.”

 

Top RFG oat milk (individual brands)

DOLLAR SALES % CHANGE vs PRIOR YEAR MARKET SHARE % CHANGE vs PRIOR YEAR
1 Planet Oats $161,404,449 55.7 36.4 0.1
2 Oatly $99,548,914 57.9 22.4 0.4
3 Chobani $79,538,398 56.8 17.9 0.2
4 Silk $43,461,465 30.5 9.8 -1.9
5 Califia Farms $36,665,693 72 8.3 0.8

Category Total* $443,671,646 55.3 100 ---

*Includes brands not listed
Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Total U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores, mass merchandisers, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains for the 52 weeks ending May 15.

 

IRI reported that Planet Oat saw $161 million in sales over the course of the past year. No. 2 Oatly hit $99 million and No. 3 Chobani reached $79 million. Simply’s oat milk saw a jump in sales of 416.7% totaling $3.5 million. 

As for regular, refrigerated, white dairy milk, the category saw a whopping $14.7 billion in sales, up just 3.2% from last year. Private label holds the No. 1 spot with a whopping $7.8 billion, a significantly large gain from No. 2 Hood‘s $922 million. 

Mintel’s Shor told Beverage Industry that, despite not being the fastest-growing segment, dairy milk still drives “the overall success of the dairy category.” The familiarity of dairy milk, whether in the form of a bowl of cereal or in a recipe, is something consumers continue to appreciate. 

 

Chobani UF milk
Image courtesy of Chobani Inc.

 

Refrigerated flavored milk, a segment of dairy milk, saw $1.7 billion in sales. Private label, Fairlife, Borden and Prairie Farms are the Top 5 brands in the category. Most brands saw at least an 11% increase in sales over the last year, IRI reported. 

“The dairy industry feels consumers already know the benefits of calcium, protein and vitamin D, but younger consumers may not know,” IRI’s Crawford said. “Touting the benefits already in the product can help revitalize dairy.”

 

button (16).png

 

KEYWORDS: almond milk dairy alternatives dairy drinks Milk oat milk State of the Beverage Industry

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Chloe alverson

Chloe Alverson is Beverage Industry’s associate editor, writing and editing for the magazine about all sorts of beverages and companies. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and resides in Metro Detroit.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Alternative Drinks
    By: Lauren Sabetta
  • Younger generation displays unique habits when it comes to beverage consumption

    Generation Z shakes things up in beverage

    Experts share that Gen Z is changing the standard on what...
    Beverage News
    By: Chloe Alverson
Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

halfday sodas

Beverage-makers turn to fiber, prebiotics and more to support consumer needs

smoothie

Opportunities abound for relaxation, stress-relief beverages

Anheuser-Busch Brewing Futures

Anheuser-Busch announces $300 million investment in US manufacturing

Vote for your favorite new product

Have your say in what makes it to the top this month!
Vote for your favorite new product and help us celebrate excellence.


VOTE NOW!

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Almond Milk

    2017 State of the Beverage Industry: Almond driving dairy alternatives

    See More
  • dairy alternatives

    2020 State of the Beverage Industry: Dairy market, alternatives can flourish together

    See More
  • ChefWave Milkmade Non-Dairy Milk Maker

    2021 State of the Beverage Industry: Dairy category outpaced by alternative options

    See More
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing