Nestlé-owned SMA Nutrition is bringing a new plant-based infant nutrition drink to market in the UK. The Little Steps Plantygrow Plant-Based Growing Up Drink is nutritionally designed for toddlers aged one to three.
“Consumers are increasingly choosing plant-based milk alternatives for themselves”
Rolling out into Tesco and Asda, SMA claims the new drink is a versatile choice for parents looking to diversify their toddler’s diet, with no added sugars and a source of vitamins A, C, B2, B12 & Iron, as well as iodine, and Omega 3 & 6. The drink also contains Calcium and Vitamin D which are needed for normal growth and bone development in children.
Nestlé in plant-based
Multinational food conglomerate Nestlé has invested heavily into plant-based across its divisions, from plant-based eggs and shrimp to a new $73 million alt meat facility in Serbia. The move into plant-based infant nutrition for SMA comes as demand for vegan and organic baby food is driving the market to grow by $17.66 billion during 2022-2026, accelerating at a CAGR of 7.73%. Plant-based infant nutrition market leading brand Else recently launched in the Canadian market following two years of “solid growth” in the US.
“Consumers are increasingly choosing plant-based milk alternatives for themselves and looking for options that contain the added nutrients their growing toddlers need. We know that every day toddlers are growing, learning, doing something new and overcoming little challenges. We want to help support toddlers’ development, as part of varied and balanced diet, while they have fun and get on with living their best life!” stated Vicky Woods, SMA Nutrition Managing Director.
