Milk alternatives: Norco launches pea and oat ‘mylk’

Norco has launched pea and oat-based milk alternative products due to the growing market for ‘mylks’, leaving some farmers unimpressed.

Dairy co-operative Norco are launching pea protein and oat-based milk alternatives, leaving some NSW farmers decidedly unimpressed.

Management at the Lismore-based co-op said they picked oat and pea protein because “non-dairy alternatives such as almond and soy milks typically lack the nutritional value and taste benefits of real dairy milk”.

Many milk alternative products on Australian supermarket shelves are made abroad by foreign companies, including Swedish-made Oatly and Japanese-made Happy Happy Soy Boy.

Former Dairy Connect president Graham Forbes said the milk alternative move by Norco risked tarnishing the co-operative’s brand.

“I’m not sure many dairy farmers would be pleased with the development,” he said.

“Milk from a cow is a natural product. Even after pasteurisation and homogenisation, it’s still one of the most natural sources of calcium you can buy.

“When you look at these plant alternatives, they don’t just contain mushed up peas or oats and water. There's 14 or 15 different ingredients. They need a lot of flavouring and colouring to imitate the look and taste of real milk and even then, it’s not as nutritious.”

Norco has launched a range of milk alternatives, including a pea-based beverage

Norco commercial manager Ben Menzies said the processor acknowledged the growing demand for plant-based milk alternatives.

“We know that over 10 per cent of consumers avoid dairy as a result of various dietary constraints,” Mr Menzies said in a statement.

“(We also know) over a third of Norco’s loyal customers also shop for alternative milks.

With that in mind, our plant based mylks offer a point of difference by introducing a fresh product, packed with plant nutrition, while also supporting a 100 per cent farmer-owned Australian co-operative.”

Norco’s pea protein and oat mylk products are available in one litre bottles at selected Woolworths outlets across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria with a recommended retail price of $5.50.

One of the leading milk alternatives on the market that is Australian made is Sanitarium So Good, a soy based milk made with ‘88 per cent Australian made ingredients’.

However, soy milk has lost market share to rising brands such as Oatly in recent years.

Recent Dairy Australia research confirmed that more than 90 per cent of Australian households still purchase dairy products, although noted the increased popularity of oat, almond and soy-based competitors.