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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Now that Oatly is part owned by an investment company linked to Amazonian deforestation, does anybody have good alternatives?

47 replies

Tellmetruth4 · 02/09/2020 05:30

www.theguardian.com/food/2020/sep/01/oatly-vegan-milk-sale-blackstone

I love the taste of Oatly but my reason for switching to non dairy was partly because of deforestation so I’m shocked the owners thought it would be a good idea to sell to Blackstone who not only invest in deforestation but are also major Trump donors. This means they are also supporting climate change scepticism.

My family will no longer be buying this product but I don’t know of a nice tasting plant based alternative.

OP posts:

Sjl479 · 02/09/2020 07:07

Another one for minor figures, I get it from Abel and Cole

happinessischocolate · 02/09/2020 07:14

@Tellmetruth4

I don’t have the time to research everything I put into my shopping basket. A major paper has done the work for me by bringing this news to my attention.

I just need alternatives not a lecture on why I shouldn’t ever bother trying to switch products because everything is dodgy. I know about this one now so I’m not buying it. A company who’s USP is partly about helping save the planet should not be part owned by Blackstone.

And yet you're here slagging off Oatly and saying they've done a Ratner.

I'm on loads of vegan pages on FB and these groups are all getting at least one post each day about Oatly being so bad that people must not use them anymore.

And now it's on here too, and not even in a vegan section. Oatly is one of the most popular non dairy brands, especially after Rude Health fucked everyone off, so to me it's like there's a campaign to discredit Oatly and I for one will be adding more of their products to my basket on my next shop.

Original poster

Tellmetruth4 · 02/09/2020 07:26

Ok thanks for your suggestions everyone. I’ll start giving them a try. Think I’ll bow out now before the ‘they’re all as bad as each other so give up’ crew take over.

Cheers.

OP posts:

Muggly · 02/09/2020 07:28

Also, the Daily Mail really shouldn’t be your guide to ethical investment practices.
Op linked to the guardian and hasn't brought up the daily mail.

TheHappyHerbivore · 02/09/2020 08:16

I’ve heard it’s easy to make. I’m a bit sceptical about that, but I’m going to give it a go to see if it works.

One of the supermarkets has started doing a ‘barista’ version of their own oat milk but I can’t remember which one. If I see it again I will return to this thread to let you know!

Jubaju · 02/09/2020 08:24

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2020/09/01/how-to-make-oat-milk-13207613/amp/

InDeoEstMeaFiducia · 02/09/2020 08:27

It tastes nice.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 02/09/2020 08:32

A problem with homemade oat milk is that it's not fortified with the vitamins & minerals that commercial oat milk is, so doesn't have the same nutritional value. Basically its strained oat juice, and most if the good stuff is still in the oats, which don't have some key nutrients anyway.

It would be good to know where Aldi/Lidl source their oat milk - it might even be Oatly.

I know a lot of 'ethical' products aren't actually all that, but at least when we find out about issues like this we can make better informed choices, one by one.

Look at Mlkman as well.

Branleuse · 02/09/2020 08:36

I always thought oatly was the worst oat milk anyway. The regular one splits in hot drinks and the barista one is far too creamy.

My favourites are minor figures, alpro and provitamil, but tbh the asda and aldi one are ok too. I didnt like the aldi one at first but I think theyve improved it

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 02/09/2020 08:36

I've just had a quick look to see if Minor Figures say who produces their oat milk, as its highly doubtful they make it themselves. But no clue on their website.
It could be from Oatly after all...

uhhuhyeahok · 02/09/2020 08:45

PPs have said Minor Figures, I'd third that tastes yummy, froths up and you can set up monthly delivery.

Branleuse · 02/09/2020 09:00

it doesnt taste like its from oatly, but it does taste similar to alpro and provitamil, which I would have trouble distinguishing between in a taste test. Asda oat milk tastes similar too.
Lidl and Aldi oat milk have a slight nutty taste, which I dont mind but dont love. Its good value for someone less fussy than me as its only 89p a litre

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 02/09/2020 09:07

Each oat milk brand doesn't have its own supply chain & production line.
Many of these products will all be coming out of the same pipe so to speak (often as part of a wider agribusiness involved in dairy production too), & supporting the same global multinational investors.
There will just be minor tweaks in ingredients (added micronutrients, organic or not, amount of sugar, amount of veg or rapeseed oil which may or may not have neonicotinoids used) and then differences in packaging.
You can of course make your own but that is essentially just oaty white water.

Branleuse · 02/09/2020 15:44

they definitely dont all come from the same place.Ive tried nearly all of them.

4to30characters · 02/09/2020 16:18

Moma!

FlamingoAndJohn · 02/09/2020 16:31

So Blackstone now own a stake in Oatly. Blackstone have previously invested in a company that may have had something to do with deforestation.
Also they are headed up by a guy who gives lots of money to Trump.

It’s not good but it’s not as dire as it’s being made out to be.

longtompot · 02/09/2020 16:43

@4to30characters

Moma!

I got this one for my ed as it was on offer and it's the closest to cows milk that I can see. I had a glass of it (I still drink cows milk) and it was as nice as drinking a glass of milk. That's sad news re Oatly. We normally buy it as it performs the best in tea and in cereal. I'll have to keep a lookout for Moma on offer.

Someyoulose · 02/09/2020 16:53

especially after Rude Health fucked everyone off

What happened to Rude Health? I remember when they started up as a very small business

espressoontap · 02/09/2020 16:55

@Bellesavage

Depends why you drink it. Do you need calcium fortified dairy alternatives, because some oat milks arent fortified.

Do you need the fats from the barista version? Because again, many other oat milks don't have much fat added.

This is why we will continue to buy Oatly Barista for our son who has CMPA. There's no better alternative.

happinessischocolate · 02/09/2020 22:19

@Someyoulose

especially after Rude Health fucked everyone off

What happened to Rude Health? I remember when they started up as a very small business

The co founder and marketing director went out if her way to publicly slag off vegans and their food choices. A bit of a mad choice for a company that makes plant based products, which are obviously bought by vegans.

Rude health didn't back down, they said we're rude, we're proud of our opinions, so a lot of vegans stopped buying their products.

JanewaysBun · 03/09/2020 10:28

You can buy little machines to make vegan milk. My friend had one and it was really fun!

Someyoulose · 03/09/2020 13:08

@happinessischocolate That seems like odd behaviour

I looked on their website and saw that they’ve sold a stake to PepsiCo so wondered if it was something to do with that. I think with Oatly as well you have to accept that people with the drive to start and grow these businesses are in it primarily to make money. The product exists because they saw a gap in the market that they could exploit.

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