An Essex café has become one of the first in the UK to trial oat milk as the default option as part of our Udderly Kind campaign. Bonnies Café, located inside Hunter’s Chase Garden Centre in Brentwood, launched the open-ended trial earlier in May with support from oat milk company Minor Figures, which supplied free products and in-store materials for the initiative.

Oat is the New Normal

As part of the trial, all standard coffee orders at Bonnies Café are now served with Minor Figures oat milk unless customers request dairy instead. Staff are also introducing a small behavioural prompt by asking customers: “Is oat milk okay?” when taking orders, a subtle shift intended to help normalise plant-based choices.

We joined them on the day and chatted with staff and customers. The place had a real buzz and a strong community vibe, and the customers were open to trying something new. 

Our Survey

We surveyed 50 cafés across the UK and found that while 84% had never previously considered making oat milk the default option, 57% became open to the idea after engagement with our campaign. The findings highlight the impact of dialogue-led outreach and demonstrate how real-world trials can help businesses rethink traditional defaults within the hospitality industry.

The survey informed our approach when speaking with Bonnies, helping us to connect with and consider the needs of the business and understand their individual challenges. 

Tracy Carroll, General Manager of Bonnies said:

“We've agreed to trial oat milk as default because it’s a healthier alternative that’s kinder to the planet.“ 

The Future is Oat

Through our Udderly Kind campaign, we are working to encourage cafés, businesses, and consumers to embrace practical changes that reduce animal suffering and support a more sustainable food system. We hope the trial at Bonnies Café will inspire more venues across the UK to explore plant-based defaults as demand for dairy alternatives continues to grow.

As always,

For the Animals