Top Plant-Based Dairy Categories in Demand

The top 15 categories in plant-based dairy narrowly outpaced the top 15 in traditional dairy for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 24, 2021, notes IRI. And while plant-based products have experienced steady to phenomenal growth, when it comes to the top 15 dairy vs. dairy alternatives, plant-based still represents a significantly smaller market share.

The top 15 dairy items, including processed and natural cheese, accounted for $77.7 billion in sales for the period, while the top 15 planted-based dairy products carved out $3.5 billion in sales.

Speaking of phenomenal growth, plant-based processed cheese reached $162.9 million in sales for the 52 weeks, an increase of 49.1% over the previous year, according to IRI. Plant-based natural cheese climbed to $4.6 million, a 62.7% increase compared to one year ago.

Plant-Based Dairy Growth Tops Traditional Dairy

Source: IRI POS, total U.S. multioutlet plus convenience stores, 52 weeks ending Jan 24, 2021 | * Margarine and butter combined | ** Natural and processed cheese combined