Palatable disruption: the politics of plant milk

Abstract

Plant-based milk alternatives-or mylks-have surged in popularity over the past ten years. We consider the politics and consumer subjectivities fostered by mylks as part of the broader trend towards 'plant-based' food. We demonstrate how mylk companies inherit and strategically deploy positive framings of milk as wholesome and convenient, as well as negative framings of dairy as environmentally damaging and cruel, to position plant-based as the 'better' alternative. By navigating this affective landscape, brands attempt to (re)make mylk as simultaneously palatable and disruptive to the status quo. We examine the politics of mylks through the concept of palatable disruption, where people are encouraged to care about the environment, health, and animal welfare enough to adopt mylks but to ultimately remain consumers of a commodity food. By encouraging consumers to reach for "plant-based" as a way to cope with environmental catastrophe and a life out of balance, mylks promote a neoliberal ethic: they individualize systemic problems and further entrench market mechanisms as solutions, thereby reinforcing the political economy of industrial agriculture. In conclusion, we reflect on the limits of the current plant-based trend for transitioning to more just and sustainable food production and consumption. Keywords Alternative food network • Dairy • Food industry • Neoliberal • Protein • Vegan The rise of plant milks "If you want to change the world change your milk" (Plenish Drinks 2019). "The subtle sweet and creamy flavour of Alpro Soya will brighten any breakfast. It isn't plain, it's plain delicious!" (Alpro 2019). Plant-based milk alternatives (or mylks 1) are booming. In the US, sales rose by 61% between 2012 and 2017 (Mintel 2018), reaching $1.9 billion by 2019 (Good Food Institute 2019). Varieties have expanded beyond the traditional soymilk to include mylks made from almond, oat, coconut, pea, hemp, and other grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes. Mylks now account for 13% of total retail milk sales in the US (Good Food Institute 2018) and around 8% in the UK (Mintel 2019). Other plant-based dairy substitutes (ice cream, yogurt, creamer, and cheese) have seen similarly rapid growth, with US sales doubling over the past 2 years to $920 million in 2019 (Good Food Institute 2019). Once sidelined in natural food stores and health food aisles, plant mylk has 'gone mainstream,' as a recent piece in The Economist affirms, proclaiming 2019 'the year of the vegan' (Parker 2018). Yet, the recent surge of plant-based milk and meat may owe less to people adopting vegan diets and more to the emerging flexitarian trend (Wohl 2019).

The Role of Healthy Diets in Environmentally Sustainable Food Systems

“…In contrast, consumption patterns in these countries are changing rapidly but is not captured by the coarse-grained FAO data. For instance, sales of nondairy milks in the United States increased 61% from 2012 to 2017 and are now consumed by nearly a quarter of Brits 16 ; consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is decreasing, often as a result of policy reform 17,18 ; and poultry is being substituted for beef and pork in many countries. 10 In addition, within a country, trends in production may follow different patterns due to increasing international trade.…”

A Polydiacetylene‐Based Colorimetric Sensor as an Active Use‐By Date for Plant‐Based Milk Alternatives

“…Plant‐based milk alternatives, such as soy, almond, and oat milk, have risen to popularity as part of social responses to concerns relating to animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and dietary requirements. [ 17 ] Herein, we extend our previous work on PDA‐based active use‐by date for cow's milk with the aim to enable a platform that can monitor the spoilage of plant‐based milk alternatives. As these milk alternatives do not contain lactose, a different marker for quality is therefore required.…”

Political ecology of milk: Contested futures of a lively food

“…In 2017, the French dairy giant Danone purchased White Wave/Alpro, the largest plant-milk producer in the world, making Danone the largest supplier of both dairy and plant-based milks. The swiftness with which agro-industry has taken control of the plant milk sector raises questions about the degree of transformation offered by these products, including the claims of environmental sustainability that are often used to market plant milks ( Clay et al, 2020 ). Almond milk, for example, carries forward many of the industrial dynamics that have been the downfall of milk production systems in California ( Bladow, 2015 ).…”

“…Moreover, even while dairy consumption is dropping in much of the Global North, worldwide dairy consumption is increasing and production is expected to continue increasing apace ( FAO, 2018 ). While the consumption of plant milks constitutes a rejection of exploitative industrial dairy systems that have been continuously propped up by government subsidies ( Gambert, 2019 ), it remains to be seen whether this consumer-led disruption will engender systemic transformation ( Clay et al, 2020 ). Paradoxically, claims of less milk might belie an increase in overall milk consumption.…”

“…With around half of the options on supermarket shelves containing added sugar, the rise of plant milks may be part of an observed global trend of sugar sweetened beverage consumption ( Popkin & Hawkes, 2016 ). Thus, while the less milk trajectory promises lower environmental, health, and animal welfare impacts, in practice plant milks have entrenched reliance on agri-industrial systems which come with negative environmental impacts, no guarantee of higher animal welfare in existing industrial livestock systems, and a product that one ultimately needs to consume more of to get the same nutrition as dairy milk ( Clay et al, 2020 ).…”