The New Driving Force Behind the Oat Milk Market — Oat β-Glucan

In recent years, driven by the growing emphasis on healthy diets, the oat milk market has experienced rapid growth. According to Euromonitor data, the global retail market value of oat milk beverages reached USD 960 million in 2022, representing a 50% year-on-year increase compared with 2021, significantly outperforming other plant-based milk alternatives such as soy milk and walnut milk.

In China, the oat milk industry has also shown a strong upward trend. Data from iiMedia Research indicate that the overall market size of oat milk in China reached RMB 42.3 billion in 2021, with a year-on-year growth rate of 141.7%, maintaining triple-digit growth and demonstrating an optimistic development outlook ^[1].

 At the same time, competition in the Chinese oat milk market has become increasingly intense, with oat milk producers facing growing brand competition. In recent years, numerous domestic oat milk start-ups have emerged, while well-established companies such as Yili, Mengniu, and Vitasoy have also actively launched oat milk products.

According to data from 36Kr, the number of oat milk brands on the Taobao and Tmall platforms reached 50 in 2021, representing a 152% increase compared with the same period in 2020. Data from iiMedia Gold List show that the Top 10 oat milk brands in China in 2022 included OATLY, Yili Plant Select, OATOAT, Ozark, Meiri Hezi (Daily Box), Ovaltine, Vitasoy, Liuyang Oat Milk, Oat Planet, and Mengniu Yidomai.

 How can oat milk products innovate and stand out among an increasing number of brands? Oat milk brands are showing a trend toward diversification across product lines, raw materials, product formats, flavors, and processing technologies. The global popularity of oat milk is driven not only by its plant-based positioning, but also by its nutritional value, which differentiates it from other plant-based beverages.

Oats and their components offer a range of health benefits, and countries and regions such as the United States and Europe have approved health claims for oat components, particularly oat β-glucan. According to research conducted by the Grain Food Innovation Team of Shaanxi Normal University, the β-glucan content of oat milk products currently on the market ranges from 0.24 to 1.41 g/100 g. Most oat milk products do not meet the β-glucan levels required for overseas health claims.

By fortifying oat milk with higher levels of oat β-glucan, manufacturers can transform oat milk into a truly health-oriented beverage, effectively differentiating their products from competing offerings on the market and avoiding homogeneous competition.

 L&P Foods Oat β-Glucan

L&P Food Ingredient Co., Ltd. (L&P Foods) is the sole applicant and approved entity for oat β-glucan as a novel food ingredient in China and was responsible for drafting the industry standard for oat β-glucan. By using carefully selected, high-quality oat bran as the raw material, L&P Foods has developed oat β-glucan as a pure, natural food ingredient through proprietary biotechnology and advanced processing technologies.

Image source: Pillai, Redmond & Roding, 2005 

Introducing oat β-glucan into oat milk formulations can enhance product differentiation and strengthen the nutritional positioning of oat milk. During oat milk processing, oat β-glucan offers several advantages, including high solubility, relatively low viscosity, excellent stability and dispersibility, making it well suited for beverage applications ^[3]. 

About L&P Food Ingredient Co., Ltd

L&P Food Ingredient Co., Ltd (L&P Foods) is a professional manufacturer specializing in food additives and functional food ingredients. The company holds comprehensive production qualifications, including valid manufacturing licenses and a full range of internationally recognized management system certifications, including Quality Management (ISO 9001), Food Safety Management (ISO 22000), Religious Certifications (KOSHER and HALAL), Occupational Health and Safety (ISO 45001), Environmental Management (ISO 14001), as well as the Global Standard for Food Safety (BRC). With consistent and reliable product quality, a well-established after-sales service system, and the capability to provide customized solutions tailored to customer needs, L&P Foods has become a trusted and preferred supplier for downstream manufacturers.

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