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McDonald’s Australia has just added a new vegan dairy option to its McCafé menu: oat milk. The popular plant-based milk will be supplied by cult favourite Aussie brand MILKLAB. While many Australian residents have rejoiced at the news of oat milk beverages, some have also criticised the chain for adding a surcharge for the vegan option.
McDonald’s has just added a new non-dairy milk to its McCafé menus. Oat milk will now be available for all its barista creations, from lattes to flat whites, made with MILKLAB’s oat-based milk alternative.
The fast food giant announced the news this week on Instagram and Facebook, in a post that read: “Together, at last. MILKLAB Oat Milk has officially joined the McCafé line-up.”
McCafé x MILKLAB
In the comments section of the posts, McDonald’s confirmed that not all locations of the fast food chain in Australia will be serving oat milk. It is understood that it will be available in those outlets that have a McCafé.
Before adding oat milk to the menu, McDonald’s Australia did offer some vegan dairy options, which include almond and soy milk. But as some frequent non-dairy McCafé customers said in the comments, oat milk was their preferred choice and the addition was “my dream come true”.
MILKLAB makes its oat milk with Australian oat flour, sunflower oil, acidity regulators, salt and vegetable gums. The product is 100% vegan and lactose-free, but not suitable for gluten-free folk.
Read: What is oat milk? Everything you need to know about this vegan substitute.
Oat milk goes viral
The addition of oat milk at McCafés around Australia comes as the popularity of the dairy-free beverage continues to surge. While all plant-based milks have seen sales grow steadily and soy and almond milk remain the legacy contenders, oat milk, a fairly new arrival to the plant-based scene, is already set to become a $2.2 billion market by 2026.
Much of its popularity can be attributed to the staggering rise of Swedish brand Oatly, which is sold globally across the US, Europe, and Asia, in both retail and foodservice channels, notably with coffee giant Starbucks as well as cult favourite hipster chain Blue Bottle.
Aside from being one of consumers’ top choices thanks to its creaminess, oat milk is also one of the most sustainable types of plant-based milks on the market. While all vegan milk alternatives are far more carbon-friendly, oat milk wins out for being the most water-saving compared to substitutes using soy or almond.
Lead image courtesy of McCafé Australia / MILKLAB, designed by Green Queen Media.
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