Not long ago, no one would have predicted a great future for oats. Once a staple food in European kitchens, the unprepossessing grain has recently been regarded as little more than an ingredient for muesli or porridge or as feed for farm animals. Today, oats are experiencing a resurgence in liquid form as a trendy and sustainable alternative to milk. Hard to find just ten years ago, oat drinks are now following the path of the longer-established soy, almond, and rice drinks in meeting the tastes of a modern and health-conscious generation of consumers. What’s more, the newcomer might even outperform its predecessors.

A success story

It all started with the enthusiastic reaction to the new vegan milk substitute in trendy coffee bars. Since then, oat drinks have broken record after record. In 2019, business consulting firm Grand View Research estimated global sales of the mildly sweet product at USD 3.7 billion and forecast annual growth of almost ten percent.⁽¹⁾ For 2020, industry portal FoodNavigator reported 300-percent growth in the key U.S. market.⁽²⁾ There, oat drinks rank second behind almond drinks and have already overtaken soy products.

Sales are trending upward on the other side of the Atlantic as well. In Germany, for example, they have topped soy and almond drinks combined. Long-established food companies as well as specialized organic producers and major retail chains are including a growing number of oat drinks in their portfolio of plant-based alternatives. The remaining oat growers are struggling to meet the surging demand. It’s little wonder that oat drinks are so successful in Europe. Although they – like all plant-based alternatives – taste different to cow’s milk, the flavor is still a familiar one at the breakfast table. For similar reasons, oat drinks remain a niche product in China and the rest of Southeast Asia, way behind local soy alternatives.

Advice and proven technology for efficient setup scenarios

Compared with rice or soy drinks, industrially manufactured oat drinks are relative newcomers. It’s not unusual for manufacturers to need several attempts to produce the right properties with an unfamiliar raw material. Even small deviations in processing, temperature, or quantities may make the milk-like viscosity unstable or a premium barista product may fail to yield the promised cappuccino foam. Global industrial technology provider GEA has been committed to sustainable food production for many years and the company’s process experts and specialized test centers provide a high level of support to manufacturers. From decanter centrifuges for extraction to UHT equipment and complete integrated process solutions, GEA can supply all the components needed for production.

Unlimited prospects

Manufacturers worldwide are working on new recipes based on liquid oat products – cooking cream, spreads, ice cream, fruit creams, and even fine chocolates. Some producers are already supplying drinks that are not heat-treated but pasteurized like fresh milk and sold in the refrigerated section. German organic beverage producer Voelkel reports that it has exceeded expectations tenfold with its first oat drink marketed in returnable bottles.⁽⁵⁾

The growing incidence of milk allergies and the debate about the risks of keeping animals have raised awareness for plant-based diet options, especially among younger people. A growing number of consumers are recognizing the health and fitness benefits of oat drinks, which is set to boost demand even further. GEA continues to refine its technologies for processing these products efficiently so that manufacturers and plant constructors can benefit from this development in the best possible way.