California-based almond grower and almond products company Blue Diamond Growers has launched a new Unsweetened Almond Coconut Milk in Australia under the Almond Breeze brand, as well as a TV, advertising and creative campaign to boost its presence.
Blue Diamond Growers' Australian manager Roger Ringwood said the launch follows a series of other additions to the range which meet consumer demand for less sugar.
Last year it also launched the Barista Blend, which was marketed to cafes and restaurants as a frothy dairy alternative and was awarded Product of the Year at last year's Fine Food Show. Also in the range is an unsweetened chocolate milk, a milk with 'a touch of honey' and an unsweetened vanilla almond drink.
“The number of consumers shifting from dairy alternatives such as soy to almond milk has been significant over the past 12 months, with almond milk now accounting for 25 per cent of all non-dairy milks sold today,” Ringwood said.
“Consumers know what they want better than we do, and we've consulted them in the lead-up to the Almond Coconut launch.”
Ringwood said consumers were looking for “healthy and tasty” products, and didn't want to be “preached at” in regards to specific health benefits.
“People have diverse reasons for healthy eating and drinking, and we don't want to talk down to them by listing off a million different ingredient facts and figures.”
The company was launched three years ago due to feedback from consumers about a gap in the Australian market for almond milks.
The latest product, which is sugar-free, is a blend of almonds and coconut cream.
Other companies to recently release an almond-coconut milk blend locally include Australia's Own and Sanitarium, which owns the So Good brand.
