Ready to Replace Your Latte’s Oat Milk With Chickpeas? This Company Says They Froth Better.

Could your next dairy-free latte be made with chickpea milk instead of oat? Food tech startup ChickP says you may want to consider replacing your dairy-free barista staple.

Chickpea protein is the secret to ChickP’s plant-based creamer that it says works to provide a superior froth without any bitter, grainy, or chalky textures or flavors, and without the addition of additives or questionable ingredients.

Chickpea milk

“Plant-based barista drinks set new challenges,” Liat Lachish Levy, CEO of ChickP, said in a statement. “Consumers want a holistic, better-for-you, yet full flavor experience. Our technologists took full advantage of our new state-of-the-art application lab to overcome organoleptic and technical challenges in creating creamy, dairy-free ‘milk’ for the perfect cappuccino.”

Lachish Levy says the company has accurately recreated the flavor, texture, and nutritional value of dairy milk.

Chickpea water, also called aquafaba, has found a market as a replacer for egg whites. It’s been used in fluffy meringues and baked goods. ChickP uses the beans for its egg replacer and eggless mayonnaise.

“We currently are developing over twenty plant-based applications with leading food and beverage companies with our pure ChickP protein,” reports Lachish Levy. “Our customers turned to us to solve major challenges of plant-based products and we were able to provide comprehensive solutions in terms of flavor, complete nutrition profile, and functionality. Together with our customers and partners, we are unlocking the potential of our ChickP protein to offer the best solutions across multiple applications. Our customers confirm that ChickP isolate offers the best dairy-like solution on the market today.”

The new creamer comes with a neutral flavor that requires fewer additives including sugar, while also offering “excellent foaming capabilities,” making it ideal for barista applications, the company says. The chickpea milk is also higher in protein than most at three percent per serving compared to the typical one percent. It also reduces the risk of allergens that nuts, soy, and even oats—which can be contaminated with gluten–can’t offer.

“Consumers are looking for plant-based milk, but they also demand great taste and texture,” notes Maor Dahan, application manager of ChickP. “Our chickpea S930 and G910 isolate are the most refined form of protein with the advantage of matching color, flavor, and functional properties to food and beverage applications. This protein has great solubility, exhibiting excellent water dispersion properties across a wide range of pH. It has a low viscosity and an optimized flavor.”

ChickP

The offering is the latest from the company, founded in 2016 by Ram Reifen, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist, and professor of human nutrition. It developed a proprietary technology for producing chickpea protein.

The company completed an $8 million Series A raise earlier this year led by Genisys Capital Private Ltd. Singapore-based strategic partner Growthwell Foods.

“Our ChickP protein ticks all the boxes,” says Lachish Levy. “It’s packed with highly nutritious complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. But more than that, it has a rich texture, and provides smooth, stable full foaming, with a white color, perfect for showcasing the most artful barista’s skills.”