‘Clean label’ refrigerated coffee creamers projected for a 15% market boost by 2020

13-Jun-2016 - Last updated on 14-Jun-2016 at 15:39 GMT

According to Packaged Facts, Califia’s sales skyrocketed from $500,000 to $5.5 million from 2014 to 2015.

Related tags Trans fat Food Packaged facts

Even food items used sparingly, such as refrigerated coffee creamers, are expected to sport a clean label and bring better-for-you ingredients to consumers.

Data from Packaged Facts’ latest report “Refrigerated Coffee Creamers: U.S. Market Trends,” forecasts a growth by 2020 of 15% in sales of $2.5 billion of coffee creamers marketed as “clean label” — meaning fewer ingredients, especially those deemed unhealthy by consumers such as partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs).

Catering to a growing consumer-base enamored by a plant-based lifestyle or the benefits of protein-rich nuts, companies across the nation have been coming up with non-dairy alternatives to these classic kitchen staples.

“Also benefitting the market is the fact that government-mandated cleaner labels are on the horizon,” a press release by Packaged Facts said. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the food industry until June 2018 to phase out partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a source of the trans fats that have been linked to heart disease. Coffee creamers are cited by FDA as an example of foods that may contain PHOs.”

Trends in coffee creamers

The affinity for a simple ingredient list is as true in consumers’ preferences for coffee creamers as it is for other products.

Packaged Facts uses Nestlé’s Coffee-mate’s Natural Bliss as an example of success. “It contains just five ingredients: milk, cream, cane sugar, salt, and natural flavor,” the release said. “Natural Bliss experienced astronomical sales growth of more than 50% between 2014 and 2015, a stunning feat is all the more noteworthy because Natural Bliss was launched in 2011.”

Another example worth noting is Califia Farms’ plant-based creamers. The company’s CEO Greg Steltenpohl said in an interview that his brand would thrive because “[traditional dairy-based creamers] are not natural, and they use a lot of artificial ingredients. Plus, they have certain types of oils and fats, which are not considered healthy,” Steltenpohl said.

He also noted that almond milk passed soy milk as the leading non-dairy substitute about a year ago. Packaged Facts data found that Califia’s sales skyrocketed from $500,000 to $5.5 million from 2014 to 2015.