Plant-based milk has come a long way from the days when soy was often the only dairy-free option on the shelf.
Now we have oat, almond, coconut, rice, pea, hemp, plus a growing list of blends and formulations you'd have struggled to find five years ago. Choice isn't the issue anymore.
What's changed is what people expect once they've made that choice. It's not enough to just be dairy-free. Consumers are increasingly looking at taste, texture, nutrition, ingredients, sustainability, functionality and price.
Taste still wins
If a brand wants to reach consumers beyond committed vegans, taste and texture are crucial.
In a 2024 New Zealand study, 143 people tasted 18 plant-based milks: soy, oat, coconut, almond, rice, cashew, hemp, lentil. Soy came out on top, seen as closest to dairy in both taste and nutrition. Throughout, a smooth, creamy texture consistently drove liking, which is why barista-style oat, almond and coconut versions do so well.
That matters even more for the much bigger flexitarian audience. Plenty of people are happy to consider the ethics and the environment, but the deciding question is still simple: does it taste good?
Cafés haven't quite caught up
Hospitality deserves a lot of credit for bringing plant milk into the mainstream. Most cafés now stock several options, and barista formulations built specifically for steaming and coffee have made a real difference.
Yet barriers remain, with many consumers opposing additional charges for non-dairy milk. In New Zealand, surcharges can turn an already expensive coffee into a significant purchase. If hospitality wants plant-based milk to be regarded as a mainstream choice, removing that financial penalty could be an important next step.
There are signs of change internationally. Major US chains including Starbucks and Dunkin' have removed their plant-milk surcharges, reflecting how normalised the category has become.
What's next on the shelf?
Oat, almond and soy aren't going anywhere, but innovation is expanding the category well beyond the established choices.
Pea milk is worth watching. It's naturally higher in protein than most alternatives, has a neutral flavour that's easy to work with, and gets a product's nutrition profile closer to that of dairy. Hemp, cashew, macadamia and lentil are all finding their own niches too, each with a different flavour and sustainability attributes.
Coconut's having a moment as well, and not just with vegans. Many people just like how it tastes in coffee, and US retail data has it as one of the fastest-growing plant milk segments in 2025.
But the future may not necessarily belong to a single plant. Blended milks are particularly promising, allowing manufacturers to combine the strengths of different ingredients. A blend might pair the creaminess of oat with the protein of pea, for example, rather than asking just one ingredient to deliver on taste, texture, nutrition and functionality.
We’re also seeing changes in format: barista blends, higher-protein versions, products built around one specific job rather than trying to do cereal, coffee and cooking equally well.
At the same time, another trend is moving in the opposite direction: simplicity. Some newer products are focusing on shorter ingredient lists and reduced packaging, appealing to consumers who want to know exactly what is in their food.
The challenge is balancing that simplicity with functionality and nutrition.
Bridging the nutritional gap
Plant milks aren't nutritionally interchangeable, either with dairy or with each other. Protein, calcium and micronutrient levels can vary considerably depending on the plant base and whether a product is fortified.
An Australian audit of 129 plant-based milks found just over 80 percent were fortified with calcium, but only 27 percent had added B12. Soy was the standout for protein, with no significant difference between the protein content of soy and dairy milk in the products studied.
This is where a lot of the next innovation will happen: better fortification, higher-protein formulas, blends that round out the nutritional picture without sacrificing taste or a clean ingredient list.
Ultimately, the next generation of plant milk may be less about discovering the next oat and more about removing the remaining compromises.
The winners will be products that taste great, perform consistently, provide meaningful nutrition, meet sustainability expectations and remain affordable. Plant milk is increasingly being judged not simply on whether it's a good substitute for dairy, but on whether it's a great beverage in its own right.
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