Nestlé’s malt beverage brand Milo has released a plant-based version of the drink aimed at health- and eco-conscious consumers.
The latest Milo replaces milk powder with soy and oats but the core ingredients, malt, barley and cocoa, are the same as the original so it doesn’t compromise on the nostalgic taste, the company said.
Trevor Clayton, head of the Dairy business unit at Nestlé, said consumers are looking to vary their diets with more plant-based options to “lower their environmental footprint and for health reasons”.
“We already have some great plant-based products and are now adding one of our biggest global brands with Milo. We’re continuing to make good on our promise to offer consumers food that is right for them and right for the planet,” he said.
The latest innovation follows recent launches of plant-based beverages by Nestlé such as oat- and pea-based Ninho Forti + which hit shelves in Brazil in December 2019 and Nesquik GoodNes, also with a pea and oat base, which launched in the US in January.
Nestlé Australia dairy business manager Anna Stewart said it was time to look at how Milo could evolve to offer more options that don’t compromise on taste.
“We’ve taken out the milk powder, reduced the added sugar, and added plant based ingredients from soy and oats,” she said.
Milo Plant Based is a vegan-friendly drink with vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B2, B3, B12 and D as well as iron, zinc and calcium.
It will be available from Coles nationwide from March 16 and independent supermarkets from April 2020.
