Plenish (www.plenishcleanse.com) is to launch its range of non-dairy M*LK into Sainsbury’s to bring an organic, oils-, gums- and sugars-free alternative to the current brands available in the category. The range will have three times the amount of nuts than the category leader.
The range – which includes Organic Almond M*LK, Organic Cashew M*LK and Organic Hazelnut M*LK – is currently available nationwide through Ocado, in Waitrose and across specialist retailers but this is the first time a “big four” retailer has listed the brand. Plenish will add Organic Coconut M*LK to the range when it goes on sale.
According to industry reports, the non-dairy milks category in the UK has grown 17 per cent to £187m in the past 12 months. Globally the category more than doubled between 2009 and 2015 to $21bn, according to Euromonitor.
Plenish M*LKs are set to offer a healthier and more delicious and organic alternative to the dominant brands in the category because they contain three times as many nuts as the market leaders. They are also free from gums and oils (Sunflower Oil Lecithin, Sunflower Oil, Gellan Gum) or other emulsifiers and stabilisers which are present as fillers and stabilisers in a variety of competitor products which also have significantly less nuts.
Sainsbury’s will stock the complete range in the chilled aisle. At the same time, the range has been reduced from a £3.49 RRP to £2.50, making it a more accessible “trade up” from other brands in the category.
Kara Rosen, founder and CEO of Plenish, said: “We are thrilled that Sainsbury’s has seen an opportunity for Plenish to offer a healthy, clean portfolio of plant-based milks not currently available in the category. Our M*LK range has only three ingredients – organic nuts, filtered water and a dash of sea salt, rather than a long list of additions made during manufacturing.
“Non-dairy milks have attracted a smart consumer-base incredibly interested in and aware of the ingredients that have gone into products, so enabling them to trade up to our ‘Next Level’ nut milks within the category to a simpler, organic alternative is a natural next step.
“At the same time, we see an opportunity for non-dairy milks to grow beyond those who have been attracted to the market on ethical or health grounds. To an ever-greater degree, we see consumers are attracted to the M*LK range on the basis of taste – which means that we can continue to recruit new customers, as well as offering a better alternative to those who already shop the category.”
With the highest nut content of long life M*LKs on the market (three times the amount of nuts of the category leader), the products are a natural source of plant protein, which can help maintain healthy muscles and bones, and contain heart-healthy monosaturated fats. We believe in “quality in equals quality out”, so producing a M*LK range with more of the best organic ingredients fuels consumers to run on plenty, never empty.”
The Plenish brand was launched with a range of cold press juices and cleanses in 2012 by Kara Rosen, a former executive at Conde Nast. The brand extended its portfolio with the introduction of its nut-based M*LK range in January 2016.