Califia Farms unveils Better Half - a coconut and almond-based alternative to Half & Half
Finally we caught up with cold-brew coffee and plant-based beverage specialist Califia Farms, which launched a new coconut cream- and almondmilk-based alternative to half & half at the show: Better Half, which is rolling out at Wholefoods and will launch at other retailers in the summer.
Califia Farms doubled its revenues in 2015, and increased distribution to 18,000 storefronts across natural and conventional channels, said CEO Greg Steltenpohl, who said Mintel data now showed US household penetration of non-dairy milks had increased to 55%.
As for half & half, he said, "really nothing has changed in the category for years except the packaging... we are offering a vegan alternative to high-fat dairy versions or sugar– and soy-laden non-dairy products."
While some coffee afficionados could be a bit sniffy about creamers or ready-to-drink products that combine coffee with dairy or nut milks, the reality is, most people don't drink their coffee black, pointed out Steltenpohl, who says Califia spends a lot of time thinking about how people actually consume coffee, and develops its products with this in mind: "When you ask some of these companies what creamer or milk works best with their coffee, they have no idea, which is amazing really."
