Oat milk is gaining ground nationwide as Starbucks cafes are finally introducing Oatly to the menu, according to CNBC. Oatly, a nondairy substitute for regular milk, is on the spring menu in conjunction with a few new additions for customers to try, like the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.
Through adding it to the menu, it allows customers to give it a whirl without committing to a full carton, though it does require the typical nondairy alternative upcharge. This strategy has worked well for Oatly in the past year, helping them increase their fanbase against competing milk substitutes.
Oatly is made by Swedish vegan food and drink maker Havre Global AB, according to Yahoo News. The company was only introduced the U.S. five years ago and aired its first commercial here during the Super Bowl this year, which featured Oatly’s CEO, Toni Petersson, singing a tune about the merits of oat milk.
“It’s like milk, but made for humans,” Petersson sang during the 30-second commercial. “Wow, no cow.”
Oat milk sales rose more than 170 percent over the past year compared to the previous year. Oatly recently filed for an initial public offering.
Starbucks initially began testing Oatly by way of a pilot at its Midwestern cafes. It has added more plant-based alternatives in recent years to its menu, such as soy, coconut, and almond.
To make oat milk, oats are soaked in water and strained through a cheesecloth. There was a shortage of Oatly nearly three years ago creating a mass rush of people listing cartons of it on eBay at astronomical prices. Oatly’s expanding to also now make ice cream and yogurt.