Plant-based brand Alpro has announced that it will begin making its oat milk from 100% British oats, tapping into the increasing demand for locally made products.
The change has been made possible by a multi-million-pound investment from parent company Danone, which has been used to expand Alpro’s facility in Kettering. Around 58 million litres of British oat milk are expected to be produced there annually, equating to a quarter of the site’s annual production of plant-based drinks.
The oat milk will be produced in partnership with Navara oat mill, also located in Kettering. Oats will mostly be sourced from farmers within 80 miles of the mill, significantly reducing food miles and giving local farmers new revenue streams.
Strategic move
Alpro previously invested £41 million into the Kettering facility in 2021, installing a new high-speed manufacturing line and making production more environmentally friendly.
Last year, the brand launched a range of new high-protein products, including drinks in chocolate and original flavours and yogurt alternatives in red fruit and tropical fruit varieties. Alpro also introduced smaller 500ml pack sizes for two popular milk alternatives, Creamy Oat and Almond No Sugars. The launches were said to be part of Danone’s “strategic move towards plant-based food and drinks”.
“As a pioneer and global leader in plant-based nutrition, plant-based drinks are a key part of our strategy to boost growth by focusing on developing products that deliver on both health and taste,” said James Mayer, president of Danone UK & Ireland. “This significant UK investment in manufacturing from homegrown oats is an exciting step forward and a great demonstration of how we’re innovating to deliver healthy and tasty food and drink sustainably.”
The British-made oat milk is available UK-wide in two varieties — Original and No Sugars.
