According to MarketsandMarkets, the dairy alternatives market is estimated to be valued at USD 22.6 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 40.6 billion by 2026, recording a CAGR of 10.3%. It is witnessing significant growth due to increasing instances of lactose allergies, changing consumer lifestyles, and growing health awareness among consumers. Consumers are increasingly adopting a vegan diet contributing to the growth of the dairy alternatives market. The Asia Pacific region will dominate the market due to the agricultural production base for plant-based sources.
Several consumers perceive a vegan diet to be healthy and prefer consuming dairy alternatives such as soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, and other plant-based milk as a substitute for dairy milk. Vegan diet followers and adopters of a healthy diet are the primary consumers of dairy alternatives that have propelled the market growth. Rising awareness among consumers about the benefits offered by a vegan diet is one of the major factors propelling the demand for dairy alternative products across the world.
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A substantial increase in the vegan population has been seen in many major economies, such as the US and the UK. Consumers in developed economies accept plant-based milk since dairy alternatives provide energy, improve health, help in weight management, and increase the palatability of food. For instance, in 2016, according to data suggested by the Vegan Society survey, the number of the vegan population rose by 360% over the last decade.
Market Dynamics
Drivers: Rise in cases of lactose intolerance and milk allergies
The increasing number of lactose-intolerant and dairy-allergic consumers have accelerated the growth of the dairy alternatives market. Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk and other dairy foods such as ice cream, cheese, and yogurt. The symptoms of lactose intolerance among individuals include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, gut distension, flatulence, and constipation. The increasing number of these allergies promotes the consumption of dairy alternatives as consumers are more aware of healthy eating habits. Consequently, the demand for a variety of dairy alternatives such as plant-based non-dairy products such as milk, ice creams, creamers, and cheese, among others, is gaining importance among these consumers. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, cow’s milk is a major cause of food allergies among infants and children. The increasing number of lactose-intolerant and dairy-allergic consumers have accelerated the growth of the dairy alternatives market. The rising awareness about healthy eating habits influences consumers. Several infants and adults suffer from milk allergies that result in an adverse immune reaction after ingestion of animal milk. The increasing number of these allergies promotes the consumption of dairy alternatives. The demand for a variety of dairy alternatives such as rice milk, soy milk, and oat milk is increasing.
Restraints: Allergies associated with plant-based sources, such as soy and almonds
One of the major factors restraining the growth of the dairy alternatives market is allergies associated with the plant-based sources used to manufacture dairy alternative products. Although soybeans are rich in nutrient content, the presence of anti-nutritional components in soy could cause allergies. A soy allergy occurs when the human immune system mistakes the harmless proteins found in soy as harmful and produces antibodies to combat them. Similarly, tree nuts such as almonds are one of the ingredients that cause allergies. Owing to this, these individuals have to avoid almond-based products such as almond milk and other non-dairy products made from almonds. The price of dairy alternatives, on the other hand, depends on the supply of raw materials, which is why there are price fluctuations. Oat milk and several other dairy alternatives face the problem of raw material unavailability, because of which prices increase. This price volatility stands as one of the biggest limitations for growth in dairy alternative beverage sales.
Opportunities: Rising demand for organic food & beverages
Organic food & beverages have the potential to change the business landscape in the overall dairy alternatives market. Changing consumer preferences have been oriented toward healthy food & beverages; this is attributed to a rise in awareness about the functional health benefits in the consumption of organic food products. Clean-label food & beverages have been attracting consumers globally, resulting in a rise in demand for organic ingredients. Developing countries such as China and India are projected to witness a strong surge in demand from the supply side for organic food ingredients during the forecast period.
The demand for dairy alternative food & beverage products is high in the developed markets of the US and Canada. Consumer preference for vegan products is rapidly rising as marketing campaigns are planned to highlight their use and health benefit claims. Developing countries such as China and Australia are expected to experience a sharp upsurge in demand for dairy alternatives in the future. This demand may be driven by an increase in consumer preference for vegan diets.
Challenges: Volatile prices of raw materials
Though most dairy alternatives are similar to dairy milk in terms of texture and taste, the price of dairy milk is relatively low than that of its alternatives. The price of dairy alternatives depends on the supply of raw materials; owing to this, there are price fluctuations. Oat milk and several other dairy alternatives face the problem of raw material unavailability, because of which prices increase. This price volatility stands as one of the biggest limitations for growth in dairy alternative product sales.
Rising deforestation in developing countries results in the scarcity of raw materials for dairy alternatives such as soy, almond, and rice. Further, extremely cold climatic conditions in countries such as the UK, France, and Spain hamper the production of agricultural produce. Soy milk is produced from whole soybeans or full-fat soy flour; almond milk is made from ground almonds that are free from lactose and cholesterol; oat milk is lactose-free milk obtained naturally from oats, other grains, and beans. The unavailability of these agricultural raw materials restricts the production of alternative dairy beverages by European manufacturers.
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Asia Pacific to account for the largest market share during the forecast period
The global dairy alternatives market is dominated by the Asia Pacific region due to the changing lifestyles of consumers and the increase in consumption of clean label products. Consumers are also more aware of their health and wellness, which is further fueling the demand for dairy alternatives in the region.
The Asia Pacific dairy alternatives market is also driven by large economies such as China, Japan, and Australia. The overall investment in the region has increased substantially over the past few years, especially in China. Japan, Australia, China, and India are the major countries covered for study in this report. Some key market players in this region are Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing Company (Australia), Freedom Foods Group Ltd. (Australia), Vitasoy International Holdings Limited (Hong Kong), and Pureharvest (Australia). The dairy alternatives industry in the Asia Pacific region is growing, owing to the changing lifestyles of customers. The dairy alternatives market in this region is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation in response to rapid urbanization, diet diversification, and the liberalization of foreign direct investment in the food sector.
Key Market Players:
The Hain Celestial (US), Blue Diamond Growers (US), SunOpta (Canada), Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company (Australia), Danone (France), Freedom Foods Group (Australia), Earth’s Own Food Company (Canada), Triballat Noyal (France), Valsoia S.p.A (Italy), Panos Brands (US), Melt Organic (US), Oatly (Sweden), Living Harvest Foods (US), Ripple Foods (US), Kite Hill (US), Califia Farms (US), Hudson River Foods Inc. (US), Daiya Foods Inc. (Canada), Pureharvest (Australia), Yoconut Dairy Free (US), and Yumbutter (US).
