Today, there are more than 600,000 people following a vegan lifestyle in the UK alone. This is the highest the figure has ever been, and the number of people opting to go vegan is only set to increase.
For coffee shops and other establishments, this is a brilliant opportunity to tap into a new target audience – and it doesn’t mean you have to overhaul your menu completely. One simple yet effective way to cater to your vegan customers is to offer dairy-free milk – but how?
Below, we’ve shared our top tips for using dairy-free milk in your coffee shop.
Offer a selection of milk types
Not all types of dairy-free milk have the same taste or texture and many people have their own personal preferences. Offering your customers the choice between popular options such as soya, oat, almond and coconut milk is a great way to make sure everyone feels catered for.
Don’t forget to advertise the fact you’re offering dairy-free milk to encourage new customers through the door!
Select the best brands
When it comes to offering dairy-free milk, make sure you do the same level of research into the different brands available as you would with real dairy milk. After all, your customers deserve the best of the best, so make sure you stock leading brands such as Alpro.
Train your baristas in dairy-free milk
Although many of the customers requesting dairy-free milk will be vegan, some of them will be individuals with lactose intolerance or allergies. For this reason, it’s imperative that your baristas understand the importance of using the type of milk requested. Forgetting to use dairy-free milk in a customer’s coffee could cause them to be extremely sick, so make sure your baristas undergo extensive training.
Know your milk
Before you offer dairy-free milk, make sure you get to know the different types. Soya milk often curdles when poured into hot coffee and almond milk can cause the drink to turn a different colour to what you may expect, so make sure you’re aware of these properties before stocking up.
Appeal to your customers’ sweet tooth
There’s nothing like enjoying a cup of hot coffee on the side of a delicious slice of cake, and giving your vegan or dairy-free customers this option will certainly boost your cafe’s popularity. There are many different types of pudding which can be made using dairy-free milk as an alternative to real dairy, including pancakes, brownies and carrot cake, so experiment and see what you come up with.
Searching for a wholesale Alpro milk supplier? Freshways is here for you.
At Freshways, we’re proud to supply a range of delicious wholesale products to businesses in London and throughout the UK, including products from many leading brands like Alpro, Yeo Valley and Hovis.
We also supply many fresh food products, such as milk, cheese and eggs, to help cafes and other eateries perfect their menu and impress their customers. For more information, get in touch with us at Freshways today.