Brace Yourselves, Potato Milk Is Coming
Your next dairy-free latte might come from the humble spud.
Modern food technology has taught us that you can make milk out of pretty much anything—pistachios, pecans, peas—and now potatoes. The latest plant-based alternative milk is gaining traction in Europe, and it’s only a matter of time before it makes its way over to the states.
According to a food and drink report released by British supermarket chain Waitrose, potato milk is set to be the biggest dairy free milk trend of 2022. And the store has recently welcomed the only brand of potato milk out on the market, DUG, onto its shelves.
The potato drink, developed by Professor Eva Tornberg at Lund University, launched in Sweden in 2021. “DUG has a very balanced taste, because, if you think about it, potatoes have a really neutral taste profile,” says Rachel Redman, marketing manager of DUG’s umbrella company, Veg of Lund. “This is one of DUG’s major strengths compared to other milk alternatives, which all have quite a distinctive taste that can affect whatever they are mixed with.” And the texture mirrors that of other creamy milk alternatives, with enough foaming potential for coffee.
Potato milk is highly nutritious. It’s low in sugar and saturated fat and free from 14 of the most common allergens, like lactose, soy, gluten, and nuts, making it an ideal choice for those with intolerances. It’s also fortified with calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and riboflavin, and happens to be the only plant-based alternative fortified with folic acid, a vitamin that helps your body produce and maintain new cells.
But perhaps the greatest selling point is the drink’s sustainability component. Its climate footprint is 75% lower than cow’s milk. And, compared to other plant-based milk sources, potatoes are twice as land efficient as growing oats and use 56 times less water than almonds.
Right now, you can only find potato milk across the pond. But its arrival in the U.S. might come sooner than you think. “We see similar trends in the U.S. as we see in the U.K. and Europe, and we have already seen demand for it from U.S.-based consumers and businesses alike,” Redman says. “At the moment the focus lies very much in making the U.K. launch a huge success, but we certainly see the U.S. as being a key strategic market in the future.”