Cool move: Plant-based milk brand OATSIDE expands into ice cream to fuel regional growth
The venture into ice creams was a “natural progression”, said Gabriel Melo, Commercial Director at OATSIDE.
“We believe in providing delicious options for people who don’t care for plant-based products. The three ice cream flavours — Chocolate, Coffee with Mini Chocolate Chips, and Peanut Butter Cookie Dough — are made using our oat milk as a base.
“While other plant-based ice creams exist, none quite match the creamy texture and great flavours of traditional dairy options. Our focus was on overcoming technical challenges with quality ingredients and innovative processing techniques. Our oat milk is extracted from roasted Australian oats through a unique enzyme treatment process to create a rich, malty and milky profile,” Melo told FoodNavigator-Asia.
Specifically, the Chocolate flavour is inspired by the brand’s well-loved chocolate-flavoured oat milk; Coffee with Mini Chocolate Chips mirrors the smooth coffee notes of its oat milk latte with an added crunch; and Peanut Butter with Cookie Dough blends rich peanut butter with nuggets of cookie dough.
“Each flavour is crafted to not only satisfy the palate but also connect with the diverse culinary heritage and preferences of Asian consumers, who are increasingly embracing plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA) due to health, environmental, and ethical reasons.”
At the same time, OATSIDE aims to capitalise on the booming PBDA market, which is reportedly projected to reach USD43.6bn by 2028 with a CAGR of 10.1%.
“Plant-based milk, comprising only 15% of the Asian dairy market, holds immense potential as a sustainable alternative, especially considering that up to 90% of Asians are lactose-intolerant.”
Recipe for success
Recognising that Asian consumers highly value rich flavours, OATSIDE looks to “continually push boundaries” to meet evolving consumer demands through innovation, improving nutrition, and advancing sustainability in its products.
The firm adopts a “full-stack approach”, which gives it control over the entire production process — from sourcing oats in Western Australia to using natural spring water from Bandung, Indonesia, and manufacturing the final product in its own facility.
“This enables us to tailor each step, resulting in a distinctive flavour profile. As one of Asia’s only full-stack plant milk start-ups, we aim to transition from a sustainable milk option to the most flavourful choice. We are dedicated to this evolution and open to regional expansion opportunities.
“Our rapid growth in Asia is fuelled by targeted marketing, strategic collaborations, and an unwavering commitment to quality. Importantly, we understand and adapt to local consumer preferences in each market,” Melo shared.
Piloting in Singapore, the new ice cream range has received positive feedback so far.
“Our initial launch was a success, selling out on the first weekend, and a public sampling event drew over a thousand attendees. The positive response also indicates the larger trend of consumers moving towards making sustainable, plant-based choices in their lives.”
In its domestic market, OATSIDE is available in major retailers such as FairPrice and Cold Storage, as well as e-commerce and grocery delivery platforms like RedMart and Pandamart.
The brand currently has presence in various Asian countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.
“We are always thrilled about launching new products. We have recently entered China and the Philippines, with plans to expand into additional markets soon. Our goal is to meet the growing demand for delicious, healthy milk that benefits both the consumer and the planet.”
