Mighty Drinks’ New Dairy-Free M.LKology Range To Hit UK Supermarkets In January

Straight off the back of a successful seed plus round, U.K.-based Mighty has announced the launch of a third-generation plant milk range. The new M.LKology product line showcases the company’s most authentic dairy-free milk to date. Biomass fermentation has been used to mimic conventional milk, with simplified labels in place for consumer clarity. Products are due to land in early January 2022 on Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Mighty Drinks, a British brand most well known for its vegan pea milk, is pressing ahead with launch plans for a new line of milk alternatives made from biomass fermentation technology. Initially, three products will be launched; whole, semi, and barista milk. All have suitable properties for use across standard dairy applications. The move marks what Mighty calls their ‘closest development to conventional dairy’.

A step forward

Mighty’s diversification into new production technology is powered by a recent seed funding round. It will open the company up to an increasing number of consumers, particularly mainstream dairy lovers who are choosy about their milk choices. The production methodology has been perfected to offer dairy aficionados an authentic alternative to cow’s milk. Mighty claims that products won’t compromise on taste, texture or versatility.

“This is the biggest development in plant milk technology and is an exciting time for us to be at the forefront of innovation in the category. M.LKology will launch the third generation of plant milk with precise fermentation to create a product closer to milk than has ever been seen before,” said Nick Watkins, co-founder of Mighty. “We view M.LKology as the natural evolution of milk for UK’s biggest dairy occasions; tea and cereal. With more and more people looking for ways to cut down on their impact on the planet, this technology is vital in being able to convert dairy loyalists without comprising on taste, bringing plant milk, and Mighty, to the masses.”

The whole and semi styles have been developed with tea and cereal in mind. The barista offering is ideal for use in coffee and hot chocolate drinks. The aim was to create a neutral-tasting milk that frothed and remained velvety, like conventional cow’s milk. Mighty’s launch will be a first for the U.K., where biomass fermented dairy is still a relatively unknown vertical. The company hopes to facilitate massive plant-based milk adoption. It cites Beyond Meat’s impact on the alternative protein industry as a target for replication. 

Mighty was founded in 2018 by brothers Tom and Nick Watkins as they wanted to offer a sustainable and healthy alternative to conventional dairy. Every subsequent new release has been developed with this goal in mind until reaching the point of fermentation innovation. The M.LKology range will be available in U.K. Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores with release dates yet to be confirmed, though the company says these should be on shelves by end January 2022.

Adjusting to the market

Over in the U.S., a similar technology known as precision fermentation is being used by Perfect Day to create a number of commercially available products and in partnership with big foodservice brands.

Perfect Day has become synonymous with what fermentation technology can offer. To date, the company has secured a deal with Starbucks, powered the first animal-free cream cheese and developed ice creams. In addition, it also produced the first animal-free whey protein powder.

All images courtesy of Mighty Drinks.