Remember the rarity of finding a café that made almond milk lattes? It was only a few years ago—okay, maybe a decade or two—that “mainstream” non dairy milk was a...
Remember the rarity of finding a café that made almond milk lattes? It was only a few years ago—okay, maybe a decade or two—that “mainstream” non dairy milk was a coffee shop novelty. Asking for an oat milk matcha or soy-cap was the punchline of a joke, and now, baristas don’t bat an eye. Just last month, Dunkin’ Donuts announced it would be be repealing the surcharge on its non-dairy milk options: That extra 50 cents saved feels like the final step towards complete alt-milk normalization. Soy, almond, and of course, oat milk are commonplace in both grocery aisles and cafes alike—and like every trend arc, we’re now starting to see a new generation of fringe dairy alternatives emerge.
Before we get into the current landscape of alt-milks, here’s a (very) brief history lesson. Soy, almond, and coconut milk have been around for centuries as dietary staples around the world. Almond milk appears referenced in medieval texts, and soy milk recipes were documented on Chinese slabs dating back to the first century. It wasn’t until the mid-aughts, however, that they started to blow up—commercially-speaking. According to Global Market Insights, by 2019 the plant-based milk market had surpassed $12 billion, with projections for non diary milk business estimating an 11% growth rate through 2026.
Soy milk, once the reigning alternative, has long been associated with, shall we say, a particular brand of hippie lifestyle. As Tariro Makoni, author of the popular Substack Trademarked, noted in her exploration of “quiet luxury milk,” soy has always been progressive, signaling “an awareness of both the environment and plant-based lifestyles.” In the mid-aughts, almond milk dethroned soy’s non-dairy domination, reflecting the status-driven rise of wellness culture, as Makoni writes. While it is still arguably the most prevalent non dairy milk, mass-produced by brands like Blue Diamond and Silk, almond milk’s reputation has soured due to reports of its excessive water usage and heavy environmental impact, as well as the reported murky additives that cancel out its health halo. And so it’s inspired other nuts to get milked, if you will.
That’s where the new generation comes in. For Táche founder Roxana Saidi, pistachios are the obvious choice. “Pistachio trees have a 75% smaller water footprint than almonds,” she tells Vogue, and the richness of the pistachio itself is what makes the texture so naturally velvety—not from added industrial seed oils, like some of its counterparts. Saidi’s appreciation for pistachios goes beyond nutrition and sustainability, though. “My father and I shared a love for pistachios,” she says, “one that was rooted in both heritage and appreciation for their cultural significance.” With the non-dairy space’s evolution, Táche became the perfect opportunity to reintroduce this luxurious nut in a modern and meaningful way.
Beyond pistachios, macadamia and cashew milks have carved out their own niches, while lesser-known alternatives like pecan and walnut are finding their footing. For those avoiding nuts altogether, Lattini’s sunflower seed milk offers an allergen-free, eco-friendly option.
Of course, no conversation about alt-milks is complete without mentioning oat milk. Oatly, the Swedish brand known for originating the product in the ’90s, tends to be the first name in people’s minds. Oat is the arena where more innovation seems to be at play. These days, competitors like Minor Figures and Willa’s are giving oat an upgrade, with elevated yet playful packaging and shorter ingredient lists.
Still, oat milk isn’t perfect—it’s not great for the planet, and its nutrition profile is up for debate. That’s where fermentation offers an interesting solution. Koatji, a brand founded and tested by Michelin-star chefs, combines the familiar sweetness of oat milk with the umami depth of koij rice, a fermented ingredient widely used in miso, soy sauce, and saké. “In plant based milk, it offers better creaminess and improved digestibility—without artificial additives,” says Rasmus Kliim, Koatji’s head of research and development, who previously worked as the head chef at Restaurant Radio in Copenhagen. “Flavor and performance is everything,” he says, reflecting on Koatji’s latte-ready texture. “It’s the key to standing out in a market filled with alternative milks.”
Kiki Milk is also pushing oat milk’s boundaries. Based in Hawaii, they blend oat milk with organic hemp and pumpkin seeds, coconut, bananas, amla (a South Asian superfruit), and Aquamin™, an algae-based mineral complex for a nutrient-dense option that relies on Kauai’s finest ingredients. “At its core, Kiki Milk is about reconnecting people to real food and nature,” says Rebecca Zimmermann, the brand’s director of communications. “The best ingredients come straight from the earth, and that philosophy continues to guide us.”
These brands aren’t just upgrading ingredients and sustainability—they’re reimagining plant-based milk’s aesthetic. Koatji’s modern, minimalist branding was designed to look sleek on coffee shop countertops, explains Maj Henriques, their chief brand officer. “We aimed to look different from everything else on the market, reflecting that Koatji is a new innovative standard for plant milk.”
Táche leans into the natural opulence of pistachios with jewel-toned packaging. “We intentionally avoided the usual health-food cues because we believe that being good for you and being beautiful aren’t mutually exclusive,” Saidi explains. “We wanted the experience to feel like finding your favorite artist or fashion designer—something that sparks joy and a lasting connection.”
Kiki Milk, on the other hand, finds aesthetic inspiration in Hawaii’s identity as the “rainbow state.” “We also like to think of ourselves as the Pixar of milk—infusing a sense of play into everything we create,” says Zimmermann.
So what’s next in the non-dairy space? Founders cite everything from fermentation to ingredient transparency, but one thing is clear: this new generation isn’t just trying to mimic dairy, it’s trying to redefine the category. “The future belongs to products that don’t just check the ‘alternative’ box,” says Saidi, “they have to be exceptional in their own right. We’re moving beyond simply replacing dairy and into a world where plant-based options stand on their own merits.”