If you’re wondering why domestic demand for U.S. fluid milk is down, look no further than your grocer’s dairy case.
There, you’ll surely find traditional dairy products. But increasingly, the real thing is being crowded on the shelves by plant-based alternatives. What was once a near-sacred haven for real milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream and cheese has become a cornucopia of alternatives, with those same products mimicked by new, plant-based offerings manufactured from soybeans, almonds, coconuts, oats and peas.
“Growing Roots in the Dairy Aisle: The Rise of Plant-based Alternatives,” is a highly comprehensive report released recently by Blimling and Associates, a Madison, Wis.-based dairy brokerage and economic consulting firm. The report compiled data from a wide range of sources, most of which points to the same conclusion: real dairy products face a steep climb to protect market share and grocer shelf space, in the wake of an unprecedented tide of changing consumer preferences that favor plant-based alternatives.