We are on a mission to make oat milk the default choice in cafés and businesses everywhere, and to prove just how simple it is to make the switch. With inspiring examples from forward-thinking businesses already leading the way, we’re showing that choosing plant-based options isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for business too. 

With our Udderly Kind campaign, we want to demonstrate how easy it is to move away from the Arlarming reality of dairy and to choose compassion. While there are many plant-based cafés we can draw on here, we want to highlight those that have taken incremental steps and recently made the switch to oat as default. 

Research from Faunalytics shows that plant-based default programs can increase the selection of plant-based options from 17.2% to a much higher percentage of 72.5%. Businesses that take this step are certainly thriving! 

Students’ Union UCL (University College London)

The cafés at UCL’s Student Union now serves oat milk by default for lattes and other hot drinks. Students are still free to request dairy, but oat is the standard pour-in unless specified otherwise. The switch was based on environmental and nutritional advantages; oat milk uses less water and produces fewer emissions, and aims to encourage plant-based habits among campus users. The Union state on their website that: 

‘Choosing a 'soft default' approach to oat milk in our cafés means we serve more hot drinks with a substantially lower carbon footprint, while still leaving customers the option to opt for dairy milk. This creates opportunities for raising awareness and shaping a behavioural change among the campus community for more sustainable outcomes.’

Even better, many university cafés have made the shift to an entirely plant-based model because of the pressure of student campaigners. 

Blue Bottle Coffee, United States 

Blue Bottle Coffee has taken a bold and positive step by making oat milk the default option in all its U.S. cafés. This change not only meets growing customer demand but also supports the company’s goal to reduce its environmental impact and achieve carbon neutrality by 2024. Oat milk’s creamy texture and sustainability have made it a popular, eco-friendly alternative to dairy with oat milk now accounting for the majority of milk-based beverage orders. Blue Bottle Coffee states their reasoning on their website:

“One year after the first pilots in June 2021, we are welcoming oat milk as the default in milk-based beverages across our US cafés. Ultimately, we hope by providing more people the experience of oat milk we might inspire guests to choose it more often both at our cafés and at home, so together we can reduce our greenhouse gas footprint from dairy.”

This switch has proven successful not just environmentally, but also business-wise, showing that embracing plant-based options can drive customer satisfaction and sales. By leading the way, Blue Bottle sets a powerful example for how businesses can thrive while making positive choices for the planet.

Starbucks Shanghai 

In 2021, Starbucks launched its first Greener Store in Shanghai’s Pudong district, where oat milk replaced dairy as the default –proving that the company can deliver bold, sustainable change. Over half of the store menu is plant-based while oat milk is used as the default option for most beverages. Starbucks states on their website that: 

‘The Shanghai Greener Store has been designed and built to reduce waste, repurpose goods and serve as a platform for future innovation.’

The store shows that Starbucks already knows how to make this shift, and now it’s time to bring that vision to the UK, the company’s largest European market. With nearly 1,400 stores and a growing base of eco-conscious customers, the UK is perfectly placed for the next step.

Let’s move forward together 

It's clear that this change is both achievable and beneficial. Making plant milk the standard option not only helps reduce environmental impact, but also meets rising customer demand for sustainable choices. For businesses, adopting this shift isn’t just good ethics; it's a smart strategy that can boost customer loyalty, drive sales, and position them as leaders in a rapidly evolving market. 

The more companies join this movement, and become Udderly Kind, the greater the positive impact on our planet and communities. 

As always,

For the animals!

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