By Shefali Kapadia
“Oat milk latte!”
“Cappuccino with oat milk!”
A barista’s voice rises above the clamor of a café, as drinks appear on the counter. Scenes like this play out all across America today, with oat milk rapidly catching up with traditional dairy as a caffeinated beverage staple.
The plant-based drink has exploded in popularity in recent years. In roughly the last year, oat milk’s U.S. retail sales ballooned to $695 million, a 28% increase over two years, according to data company SPINS.
Randy Strychar, president of OatInformation — which focuses on oat market research and provides information to traders, millers, and more — said oat milk’s popularity has “taken demand to a new level.”
“Oat milk has certainly been a game changer” for oat crop demand, Strychar said. He estimated the beverage has added between 10% and 15% in additional demand for oats.
SHEFALI KAPADIA 