Readers of this coffee blog will have read plenty of articles in our library which promote the idea of diversification in your coffee shop, sandwich bar or restaurant. If you’ve found a niche that works for you, it’s important to keep that differentiator alive; but at the same time, accommodating the needs and tastes of a wider variety of customers can only win you more business. With World Plant Milk Day – if you haven’t heard of it, we’re not surprised, as it only began a couple of years ago – you have the chance to make a strong statement and satisfy coffee drinkers of every sort.
Find recent, reliable data on veganism and vegetarianism is tricky, but it’s widely accepted that back in 2016, around half a million people identified as vegan. The Vegan Society said the number had reached 600,000 in 2018. Whatever the current figure, a clear trend is emerging, in line with greater awareness of the negative impact of mass dairy farming on the environment. And, as more plant-based milks have been produced in greater quantities, they’ve attracted non-vegans to try them and introduce them into their daily diet and coffee rituals. Add in those who are lactose-intolerant, and those who feel strongly about animal welfare, and a good number of the visitors to your coffee shop or eatery will choose an alternative to cow’s milk with their coffee.
So, what’s in your fridge? Straight lactose-free milk? Oat-based milk? Soya milk?
There must be around 20 different sorts of plant-based milk. Almond, soy and coconut are the world’s leading sellers, but options include oat, cashew, pistachio, and chia, sesame and hemp seed milks. Then there are those made by blending two or more together. What they have in common, despite their different tastes, tends to be a creamy texture. One which can lend itself rather well to coffee.
Of course, it’s not practical or economical to stock every type of plant-based milk in your fridge. But we do think it’s wise to offer a selection of three or four.
And World Plant Milk Day is a good opportunity to raise the profile of these healthier and in some ways more sustainable products, as well as the profile of your business in the local area. Head to https://www.worldplantmilkday.com to read more and to download social media graphics and posters to publicise your celebration of the day and attract a raft of new customers.