Plant-Based Eggs, Yogurt and Creamer Products Surge with Double Digit Growth

A new report confirms what anecdotally most of us knew: plant-based foods are dominating. A report—produced for the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association by data research firm SPINS—reveals what animal-product alternatives are leading the way. Looking at the big picture, the report says that U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods grew 11.4% (to $5 billion). And the top three fastest-growing categories were plant-based creamer, yogurt and eggs, which respectively grew 34 percent, 31 percent and 192 percent. 

One of the largest growth categories was “vegan egg,” growing 192% going from $3 million to $10 million in sales. And, if you look at the last two years combined, growth reached a whopping 228%. We can likely thank retailers like JUST Egg for product innovation, availability and reducing cost. JUST has become a household name in just its few years of being on the market, available on the shelves at major retailers and foodservice outlets nationwide. It’s even getting ready to launch a quick and easy omelet starting in April, at over 5,000 retailers across the U.S. JUST uses mung bean protein isolate as its base; one JUST Egg (3 tablespoons is equivalent to one chicken egg) provides 5 grams of plant protein. Follow Your Heart makes a powdered egg substitute, a little more time consuming to make as you need to add it to water and mix, but a good option for baking. And, in the future, look out for a vegan egg that looks and tastes like an actual chick egg—yes, in a full-on shell—but it’s made with legumes.

Plant-based milk products continue to top the charts as the largest plant-based food category. According to the SPINS report, sales have grown 5% over the past year to reach $2 billion. The report says this about the breakdown: “Plant-based milk as a category accounts for 40 percent of the total plant-based food market. Almond milk is still the largest plant-based milk type, but oat milk has rapidly burst onto the scene, growing an impressive 686 percent over the past year. Brands are rapidly responding to increasing demand for oat milk, with established brands like Oatly joined by newcomers such as Planet Oat.” The dairy industry is being hit hard as milk-alternatives steal market share. Some are declaring bankruptcy, while others, Elmhurst 1925, are pivoting completely to exclusively produce plant-based milk. There are even companies helping dairy farmers replace their cow operations with plant-based milk crops, like oats. 

The report does single out creamer specifically as a category that saw the 34% growth which makes sense considering American’s daily coffee consumption...that, of course, necessitates a good creamer. Here at The Beet we did a round-up of our favorite plant-based creamers. Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond Milk Creamer (which now also has a delicious oat milk creamer) tops the list. 

Last but not least, the beloved breakfast and go-to snack item: yogurt. The SPINS report says yogurt had more than 31% growth.  Many mainstream dairy yogurt companies have attempted to gain a footing in the non-dairy, plant-food space. Chobani, known for its thick, creamy greek yogurts launched an oat milk yogurt late last year. Dairy yogurt leader Yoplait also got into the vegan yogurt game with its Oui yogurt line. And, dedicated plant-based players like Kite Hill added yogurt to their product lines.  

“Clearly plant-based is a lasting trend that is gaining power over time,” says the Good Food Institute’s associate director of corporate engagement Caroline Bushnell. “From the data, we see a steady rise in plant-based products year over year across regions, which indicates that this is not a bubble or a fad, but a real change in consumer behavior. This is a tipping point and there is so much product innovation yet to hit the market, well beyond the burger.”

What egg and dairy alternatives are you excited about these days? Drop a comment below and let us know! 

Califia Farms Almond Creamer is made with real almonds and coconut cream to give a rich, full-flavored texture and has 2 grams of added sugar. The consistency is so thick it’s more like a heavy cream rather than a creamer substitute. Regardless, it froths up well and is very creamy. The almond taste is noticeable but the creamer isn’t bitter or grainy. You don’t need to use a lot of it; a little goes a long way!

Silk Original Dairy-Free Original Soy Creamer has only 1 gram of added sugar, but sadly it does not froth up well when I heated it due to a thinner, more watery consistency. It didn't combine well with coffee, no matter how much was added. Because of the underwhelming flavor, this was my least favorite.

This Natural Bliss Coconut Milk Creamer/Sweet Cream is the best one I’ve found for both frothing and taste, especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half-and-half. It’s creamy and has a hint of coconut, but no overwhelming coconut flavor. Note: it is made with pea protein, unlike the other ones, which is probably why it’s thicker. Always check ingredients if you have food allergies because unexpected ingredients such as peas can be hiding in the product, and you would never know by the taste.

So Delicious has been marketing dairy-free frozen desserts, yogurt alternatives, and smooth plant-based beverages for over 30 years. Besides the coconut milk, they also have “Original,” “Snickerdoodle.” “Caramel” and “Creamy Vanilla” flavors. I only sampled the coconut milk flavor. This is the only one in this taste test with 0 grams of added sugar. It has a very rich coconut taste and froths up nicely in coffee like milk. It’s not as thick as some of the others but is a good alternative to ultra-sweet creamers if you want to be careful about your sugar intake. The coconut flavor is powerful but not overwhelming.

Natural Bliss Oat Milk Creamer, Vanilla Natural Flavor, with 4 grams added sugar is similar to Coffee Mate’s Coconut creamer but without the coconut flavor. It’s super-rich and creamy with a hint of oat flavor but not bitter at all. My new favorite! This is the best one I’ve found for frothing and taste especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half and half. It’s like the real thing as it’s creamy, fluffy and not grainy. Remember to shake it up before putting in your frother. Use a little and be happy with your non-dairy latte!

The Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition contains 4 grams of sugar but its full-flavored taste makes it a rich choice. It doesn’t market itself as a creamer but it does advertise as the choice for the barista community. It’s slightly less frothy than real milk when mixed but the flavor is pleasant, not bitter, and I would choose it again.

Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer, the Vanilla One has 4 grams of added sugar and is also at the top of my list. While it’s sweet, it’s also incredibly rich which means you can use less of it in your coffee. It was thick and creamy when frothed and it adds a fluffy cap to your coffee as lattes make with real cream. Note that pea protein is an added ingredient in this creamer as well. This can rival the real thing but choose this one only if you like a strong vanilla aftertaste!

The Silk Almond Creamer Vanilla boasts that it’s “America’s #1 Almond Creamer. But with 4 grams added sugar you may want to use it sparingly. It did taste sweet and was nice and thick, so someone who likes rich creamers will love it. The vanilla aftertaste was pretty strong. And it's a little too syrupy sweet for my taste.

Nutpods is the closest you'll get to the real thing! Tasters immediately gave this dairy-free creamer a 5 out 5. The texture is smooth and mixes with coffee instantly. Unlike soy creamers, this almond and coconut-based creamer doesn't separate once your done stirring. Nut Pods is the most comparable to half and half in the whole list of creamers!

Forager is cashew milk and coconut cream based that mixes for a unique and flavorful taste. The consistency was on the thinner side, and if you're a heavy cream or half-and-half devotee this is probably not the creamer for you, although those who like a lighter flavor will enjoy it.

This creamer is rich, round and doesn't taste too overtly of coconut. You only need a splash to achieve a nice, creamy effect in your coffee, and there's no watered-down consistency, so if you swear by heavy cream or half & half, give this Trader Joe's option a try! At only $1.69 per carton, this product is a steal.

The thickest consistency of the bunch, resembling a heavy cream rather than half and half. Malk has only 5 ingredients, making it super clean and healthy! The almond flavor might be overpowering to those who like less flavor in their creamer. Add the Maple Pecan flavor to your coffee for an even sweeter taste.