Barista-friendly dairy and plant-based milk brand MilkLab has landed on Kiwi shelves, launching its Almond and Oat ranges in Woolworths stores nationwide.
New Zealanders consume around 3.7kg of coffee each year, and Kiwis are now bringing their love of coffee into homes through domestic espresso machines. MilkLab says they are increasingly seeking dairy alternatives that won’t compromise on taste, texture or the flat white finish.
MilkLab Almond and MilkLab Oat, referred to as “the number one and number two” plant-based milks preferred by baristas in Australian cafes, will meet that demand head-on with their arrivals in NZ supermarkets.
Natalie Latimore, MilkLab’s head of marketing, described the brand’s Kiwi launch as a natural next step, tapping into the country’s “burgeoning” in-home specialty coffee market.
“New Zealand has one of the most sophisticated and fiercely loyal coffee cultures in the world, and we know Kiwi consumers hold their coffee to a high standard whether they’re at a cafe or in their own kitchen,” she said.
“Now New Zealand coffee lovers can benefit from years of MilkLab plant-based milk innovation to achieve cafe-quality coffee at home, just by visiting their local Woolworths store.”
The brand has built a long-standing history in New Zealand’s cafe landscape over several years, with the MilkLab NZ Barista Battle marked as the annual event on the local coffee calendar. The competition allows baristas in Aotearoa to showcase their skill, creativity and technique using the same MilkLab products now entering local supermarkets.
MilkLab Almond and MilkLab Oat are available in 1L and 250mL formats at Woolworths stores nationwide, with RRPs of NZ$5.80 ($4.84) and NZ$2.50 ($2.09), respectively.
A partnership move in its home market
In addition to the entry, the barista milk brand has partnered with Allpress Espresso, with MilkLab Almond, Oat and Lactose Free becoming the alternative milk of choice across Allpress cafes in Australia.
“This partnership is about the perfect alignment in values, in standards, and in what we believe the barista experience should be,” said Melanie Ung, brand manager at MilkLab.
“Allpress is a name that carries real weight in this industry, and being the milk behind their bar isn’t something we take lightly. We’re excited to be building something together.”
The collaboration reflects shared values and will reinforce MilkLab’s leadership in the competitive plant-based milk category, the company said.
