.png)
Müller Makes a Splash in UK Plant-Based Market With New Dairy-Free Corner and Rice Pots
Trusted UK dairy giant Müller recently entered the plant-based market with new coconut yogurts, leveraging its size and sustainability values to bring dairy-free options into the mainstream.
Popular dairy brand Müller recently entered the plant-based space, launching coconut-based yogurt alternatives Müller Corner Plant Based and Müller Rice Plant Based in the UK. This strategic move into the booming dairy-free segment provides a major new plant-based option for British consumers.
Founded in Germany in 1896, Müller expanded into the UK market in 1987. They've since become the nation's leading dairy company with well-known brands like Müller Yogurt, Müller Rice and Müller Corner.
Müller's sizable UK footprint and trusted reputation equip the company to make plant-based inroads. Their trademark flavor and branding gives Müller instant name recognition in dairy-free, enabling wider adoption by the growing plant-curious demographic.
The new coconut-based Corner and Rice products specifically leverage Müller's brand awareness. As Toby Bevans, Müller's Marketing Director explained, "When we spoke to consumers it was clear that plant-based Müller favorites represented a real opportunity, as long as it maintains our trademark taste."
Bevans noted the complementary relationship between plant-based and dairy in today's market. "Plant-based and dairy products have co-existed in shopping baskets and fridges for a long time, so making the nation’s favorite dairy brand accessible to more people is a really exciting and natural move."
Müller's Values Drive Sustainable Innovation
Müller's push into plant-based aligns with the company's sustainability values and innovation priorities. Their corporate strategy focuses on four pillars:
Responsible Sourcing
Reducing Environmental Impact
Supporting People
and Inspiring Healthier Lifestyles
The dairy giant set ambitious targets around recyclable packaging, renewable energy, supply chain ethics and nutrition guidance. Their sustainable ethos and investments in eco-friendly processing drove a 40% carbon footprint reduction already.
Müller also operates the UK's largest fleet of electric milk delivery vehicles as part of their Milk & More business. And their substantial charitable and community support provides over 12,000 product donations annually.
The new dairy-free additions complement Müller's positive social and environmental strides. The coconut-based yogurts offer a sustainable option appealing to eco-minded buyers.
Müller specifically chose coconuts as the plant-base for their flavor, protein content and responsible sourcing potential. Regional UK cooperatives supply the coconut milk, reducing miles from farm to factory.
Though these yogurt alternatives mark Müller's first plant-based range, they likely won't be the last. The company's resources and commitment to innovation position it to lead the dairy industry's pivot toward more sustainable options.
Plant-Based Market Heats Up
Müller's move comes at an opportune time as plant-based eating grows rapidly in the UK. Nearly a quarter of Brits drank plant-based milk in 2021. And the nation's plant-based food market is estimated to hit $1.9 billion by 2025.
Amid this demand, new players like Oatly and Nex have disrupted the dairy space with oat, soy and other alt-milks. Incumbents like Arla, Danone and Yeo Valley now offer plant-based ranges too.
But Müller boasts unique advantages entering the fray with its trusted brand and vast production capabilities. Their scaled reach positions Müller Corner and Rice pots for swift mainstream distribution at key retailers like ASDA.
And as Bevans said, Müller's dairy lineage presents "a real opportunity" to convert plant-curious consumers craving the familiar flavor profiles. Their coconut yogurts can seamlessly substitute into breakfast routines or snacking occasions.
Müller aims to "make the nation's favorite dairy brand accessible to more people." While it took decades to earn that dairy dominance, Müller's size and values could propel its plant-based portfolio to rapid success.