The World’s Coffee Shops Have Emerged as Plant Milk’s Front Line
The popularity of plant-based milk is skyrocketing, particularly in coffee shops worldwide. The market for plant-based milk has reached a value of $20 billion, driven by eco-conscious and racially diverse young people who consume 550 percent more plant-based milk than previous generations. Oat milk has experienced a significant surge in popularity. As dairy consumption declines, plant-based milk is becoming the preferred choice for coffee drinkers.
Coffee shops are adapting to this trend by offering a wider variety of plant-based milk options and incorporating them into their menus. A survey conducted in 2019 found that 72 percent of respondents had tried a plant-based milk alternative, with coffee shops being a popular setting for trying these products. Younger generations, including Generation Z and millennials, are driving the demand for plant-based milk as they seek non-dairy options for ethical, health, and environmental reasons.
The shift to plant-based milk has positive climate implications, as it significantly reduces the environmental footprint of coffee shops. Dairy production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the transition to non-dairy milk helps coffee shops reduce their carbon footprint. For instance, a non-dairy latte saves approximately 0.143 kg of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite the growing popularity of plant-based milk, many coffee shops still charge an extra fee for substituting cow’s milk with a plant-based alternative. This upcharge is often justified by the higher cost of plant-based milk. Critics argue that cow’s milk is cheaper due to heavy subsidies in animal agriculture, and passing the cost on to consumers is not equitable. Interfaith coalitions and activists are pushing for the elimination of these upcharges to make plant-based diets more accessible.
Some coffee shops have gone further by making plant-based milk the default option, flipping the traditional norm. By shaping their menus and operations to favor plant-based options, coffee shops are catering to the preferences of young adults and individuals with non-dairy diets due to veganism, kosher requirements, or lactose intolerance. This simple change in default options has resulted in increased sales of plant-based drinks and decreased carbon footprints in some establishments.
The shift toward plant-based milk in coffee shops reflects a larger cultural change and highlights the potential for transforming social spaces. Beyond coffee shops, workplaces and campuses are also adopting plant-based defaults. Market research predicts that oat milk will become the milk of choice globally, especially as consumers in Asia and Africa with higher disposable incomes seek alternatives due to lactose intolerance. Plant-based milk is here to stay and will become the new norm in the world of coffee and beyond.
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
