21 Sep 2016 Will banana milk be the next dairy alternative craze?
Several reports look at how manufacturers and coffee shops have created banana milk by blending bananas with water, as a vegan substitute for cow’s milk, or with milk as a flavoured milk option.
The new sub-segment further expands the dairy alternatives category beyond the soy, almond and coconut milks that receive so much attention today.
Food.Dive.com Insights
- Banana milk offers manufacturers two key selling points: the health benefits of bananas and the fruit’s flavour profile. Bananas offer a sweetness without adding sugar or other sweeteners, which could appeal to parents looking for healthier beverage options for their kids or themselves.
- Potassium, a mineral that bananas are rich in, will also be one of the items that the new Nutrition Facts panel requires. Banana milk manufacturers could capitalise on having another clear, easy way to demonstrate health benefits of a product that resonates with consumers today.
- Banana milk coffee, a cold drink made with a very ripe banana and little milk, is already a hit at one Brooklyn coffee shop. Coffee shop trends can become pervasive in RTD beverages sold in stores, such as cold brew coffee and pumpkin spice lattes.
- Manufacturers may want to monitor this new segment’s popularity and consider working banana milk into their own dairy alternatives portfolio.
Source: www.fooddive.com
Related reading:
Eater: Banana Milk Coffee Is Going to Be the Next Pumpkin Spice Latte
Food and Wine: EVERYONE IS FREAKING OUT OVER BANANA MILK COFFEE
Mic: Banana Milk Is Now a Thing That Exists