Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s US Milk and Non-dairy Milk Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of the US Milk and Non-dairy Milk industries including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- Market drivers for milk and non-dairy milk, including the impact of inflation and shifts in consumer demands.
- Priorities when purchasing dairy and non-dairy milk and desired attributes that impact willingness to purchase.
- Attitudes towards milk and non-dairy milk, including packaging and nutritional health expectations in formulations.
- Recent product launch activity, innovation and advertising campaigns.
US Milk and Non-dairy Milk – Current Market Landscape
Milk is a staple in US households, with over 90% of US consumers purchasing any type of dairy or non-dairy milk in the last three months. In recent years, dairy milk has been threatened by plant-based milk over concerns for health, sustainability and animal-welfare. Dairy milk remains relevant; however, consumers are increasingly purchasing both dairy and non-dairy milk for diverse reasons.
US Milk and Non-dairy Milk Industry – Consumer and Market Trends
Desire for value shifts spending habits
As inflation impacts grocery spending, there is an increasing consumer focus on value. Dairy milk is being chosen over non-dairy milk due to consumers’ for value reasons. Over a quarter of US milk consumers purchase dairy milk because they believe it’s a better value. Alongside its familiar taste and trusted health image, consumers are turning back to dairy.Â
Best of both worlds for younger consumers
Younger consumers, aged 16-34 years old, display the highest purchase behaviour of both dairy and non-dairy milks. This lack of loyalty for either category suggests their significant impact on category growth and decline.
Mintel’s full report features a deeper analysis of the US Milk Industry and its competitive landscape, as well as recommendations for future growth opportunities from our expert analyst.
More About this Report
The scope of this report includes both the dairy and non-dairy milk markets. Each market has its own market size and forecast. Dairy milk is defined as: refrigerated dairy milks (e.g. skim/low-fat milk, whole milk, flavoured milk) and shelf-stable RTD milk (e.g. unrefrigerated dairy milk). Non-dairy milk is defined as: almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk, other non-dairy milk (e.g. cashew milk) and shelf stable, RTD non-dairy milk. Dairy and non-dairy cream, creamers, condensed/evaporated milk and powdered milk are excluded from the market sizes and report discussion.
Expert Analysis from an Industry Specialist
This report, written by Julia Mills, a leading analyst in the Food and Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Milk and non-dairy milks are staples in most US households. With rising costs, value comes through simplicity and highlighting new use possibilities.
Julia Mills
Food & Drink Analyst
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive summary
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Consumer Insights
- The milk and non-dairy milk consumer: fast facts
- Milk types purchased
- Graph 1: milk types purchased in the past three months, 2021-23
- Graph 2: milk types purchased in the past three months, by age, 2023
- Graph 3: milk base types purchased, 2022-23
- Graph 4: milk base types purchased, by generation, 2023
- Graph 5: dairy milk types purchased in the last three months, 2023
- Graph 6: dairy milk types purchased in the last three months, by generation, 2023
- Purchase motivators (or demotivators) for dairy and non-dairy milk
- Graph 7: milk types purchased in the past three months, 2023
- Graph 8: purchase factors for both dairy and non-dairy milk, 2023
- Graph 9: milk types purchased in the past three months, by parental status, 2023
- Graph 10: purchase factors for both dairy and non-dairy milk, by parental status, 2023
- Graph 11: purchase factors for dairy over non-dairy milk, 2023
- Graph 12: purchase factors for dairy over non-dairy milk, by generation, 2023
- Graph 13: purchase factors for non-dairy over dairy milk, 2023
- Graph 14: perceptions of dairy milk vs non-dairy milk, 2023
- Graph 15: purchase factors of non-dairy over dairy milk, by generation, 2023
- Graph 16: loyalty to non-dairy milk brands, 2023
- Graph 17: loyalty to non-dairy milk brands, by generation, 2023
- Ideal dairy and non-dairy milk attributes
- Graph 18: ideal dairy milk attributes, 2023
- Graph 19: ideal dairy milk attributes, by parental status, 2023
- Graph 20: top children’s health and wellbeing concerns, 2022
- Graph 21: ideal non-dairy milk attributes, 2023
- Graph 22: ideal non-dairy milk attributes, by generation, 2023
- Milk and non-dairy milk occasions
- Graph 23: typical use and consumption of milk and non-dairy milk, 2023
- Graph 24: typical use and consumption of non-dairy milks, by gender, 2023
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Competitive strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Graph 25: % of milk launches with environmental & sustainability claims, 2018-23
- Advertising and marketing activity
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The Market
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Graph 26: perception of value in dairy milk vs non-dairy milk, 2023
- Market size and forecast
- Market segmentation
- Market share & brand share of dairy milk
- Market share & brand share of non-dairy milk
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Appendix
- Data sources
- Abbreviations
- The market
- Companies and brands
- Research methodology
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