22 August – World Plant Milk Day

This World Plant Milk Day was created in 2017 by Robbie Lockie, co-founder of Plant Based News, with the aim of encouraging people to consume plant-based drinks and learn more about their benefits, ingredients or nutritional value.

The 8 common types of plant-based drinks are: almond, cashew, hemp, oat, soy, quinoa, flaxseed, coconut milk, and we’ve also had plant-based drinks made from tomatoes.

Years ago, plant-based drinks were almost unknown, but today more and more people are switching from animal milk to plant-based alternatives.

More and more people are drinking plant-based drinks

The results of a recent national representative survey conducted by NÉGYOSZ and Trend International Ltd. show that a part of the Hungarian population is still not open to plant-based products and thus plant-based beverages. 25% of the respondents clearly reject plant-based substitutes, while another 33% are not completely closed to them. Nearly a third of respondents consider it conceivable that they would choose plant-based alternatives, 6% would probably choose them and only 4% are sure they would try them.

These figures may not seem high, but they could be a good starting point for the future market penetration of plant-based products. However, the main barrier to the purchase of plant-based substitutes is their price.

It is also worth noting that the lack of assortment and availability is also a problem. 33% of respondents consider that there is a lack of plant-based products, including plant-based drinks, in shops or that the range is not wide enough. We are talking about a nationally representative survey, this data could be due to the typically lack of supply in rural shops or even in Hungarian-owned chains.

Why do people switch?

Lactose sensitivity: one reason is the lactose content of animal milk, to which more and more people are sensitive or allergic. Around 68% of the world’s population has an intolerance to lactose. Vegetable drinks, on the other hand, do not contain lactose, although some types do contain higher levels of calcium than animal milk. They also contain less fat, less sugar and more vitamin D than animal milk.

Taste: many consumers of plant-based drinks find that they taste as good as animal milk. Many drinkers agree that the plant-based version is tasty.

Animal rights: dairy farming, the dairy industry is responsible for the suffering of large numbers of cattle. More and more people are learning about the plight of these animals and realizing that you don’t need to use animals to eat healthy and tasty food.

How to switch to plant-based drinks?

There are several ways to make the switch. No need to give up your favourite foods or your usual morning coffee. Just replace the traditional milk with a plant-based drink in the recipe! Try several flavours, you’ll find the one that works best for you.

You can also make a herbal drink at home – there are lots of instructions, videos and guides online.