The Rise of Oat Milk: Why It's Becoming a Coffee Shop Staple

Your favorite wholesale Raleigh coffee company here, and we’ve got some words to share about milk, oat milk more specifically. Dilworth has been selling wholesale coffee for 30 years, and only more recently shelf stable alternative milks. It’s part of our job as coffee roasters and coffee experts to stay on top of beverage industry trends so that business owners like yourself are informed. Only with good information can our customers make good decisions for their business, and is selling oat milk a good decision? We think so! Here’s why...

History of Alternative Milks

The first big player in the Europe and the United States for alternative milk product was Soy milk. We say that because soy milk has been used in Asian countries and recipes for hundreds of years as good source of protein, and the west has only caught on relatively recently.

Alpro, a soymilk company, was started by a young Belgian entrepreneur named Philippe Vandemoortele. “I started in a garage with pots and pans, a grinder. I was young, and very naive,” said Vandemoortele. He’s now in his late seventies, and at first he had a hard time getting the product into stores, “The buyer tasted my product, and he said: ‘Whoa. It’s awful!’” But Vandemoortele endeavored on, and today Alpro is owned by Danone, and in 2017 had a turnover in excess of £183m.

The next big change came in 2008 when Florida company Blue Diamond began to produce almond milk at huge rates. By 2013 it had overtaken soymilk as the United States favorite alternative milk product.

Why Oat Milk Emerged as the Favorite

As consumers became more conscious of their own health, the health of animals, and the health of the planet, their purchasing decision changed. Grocery customers as well as coffee shop customers looked for a non-dairy alternative for their morning cereal, morning coffee, and afternoon pick-me-up. Some brands like Blue Diamond, Alpro, and Silk all sought to take advantage, but one brand caught the wave at the right time.

The brand that found the wave at the crucial moment in 2016 was Oatly. The Swedish company led by Toni Petersson, “It’s a really good crop. You can grow oats everywhere,” said Petersson. “It has carbs, it has fat, it has protein, and it has fiber.” Compared to oat milk, he said, almond is just “flavored plant juice”.

And so, it’s no wonder why oatmilk has emerged as top dog! The flavor is milder and more neutral than almond and coconut, it’s a little cheaper, and the new formulations steam very consistently for most café drinks.

How to Replace Milk with Oat Milk

In every café drink, dairy milk can be replaced one to one with oat milk. It’s designed to have a similar texture and steaming capacity to dairy milk. In 2025, most if not all café customers know what oat milk is and what it tastes like. Your baristas shouldn’t have to educate your customers if you choose to introduce it to the menu either, since it’s so commonplace and widely accepted at this point.

As your favorite wholesale Raleigh coffee company, it’s our job to stay on top of beverage industry trends so that business owners like yourself are always informed. If you haven’t added oat milk, or any alternative milk to your menu, it may be time to start! Plus, if you want any advice or cool recipes to highlight your new milk alternative, send us a note and we’ll chat coffee fanatic-to-coffee fanatic.