Vitasoy enters almond milk market

Posted by AFN Staff Writers on 28th September 2015

Soy milk manufacturer Vitasoy is entering the almond milk market with two new products, almond milk original and almond milk unsweetened.

Vitasoy is expanding into almond milk as it believes 12 per cent of Australian households currently consume the dairy alternative.

The new products will be made in Australia using Australian almonds from the Murray River and Riverina regions.

Both options have received a four star rating on the Federal Government’s health star rating system. Vitasoy says its almond milk original has 40 per cent less calories than the lite dairy milk equivalent and that it is naturally lactose, dairy, gluten and soy free.

The unsweetened option has 98 per cent less sugars than lite dairy milk, 60 per cent less calories than lite dairy milk and is also said to be naturally free of lactose, dairy, gluten and soy.

Vitasoy is a Hong Kong based company which was established in 1940.

The Australian almond industry, which is supplying the almonds for the drink, has grown enormously in recent years. Select Harvest is one example of success with brands such as Lucky, Sunsol, Nu-Vit, Soland, Allinga Farms and Rensaw. The company has orchards spread across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and planted 945 new South Australian arches recently. Select Harvest has been performing well due to increasing demand for almonds and the drought in California.

Both of the new Vitasoy products have a recommended retail price of AUD$3.79 for a one litre offering. Woolworths and independent grocers will be selling both products, Coles will be selling the unsweetened option only.

Competition

According to Nielsen figures listed in Retail World’s December 2014 annual report Vitasoy has a 9.3 per cent brand share volume of the UHT and long life non-dairy market. The rest of the market is broken up as follows (in percentages):