WhiteWave, now owned by Danone, firmly opposes recent lawsuits questioning the use of the term “almondmilk,” deeming them a waste of time and resources. In recent months, both WhiteWave Foods and Blue Diamond Growers, producer of Almond Breeze, have faced class-action lawsuits from consumers who argue that their alternative milk products misleadingly claim to be as nutritious or more so than dairy milk. According to a report by Mintel, sales of non-dairy milk in the U.S. surged by 9% in 2015, while dairy milk sales fell by 7% in the same period. Given these statistics, it is understandable why dairy companies are targeting those behind alternative products, as they pose a threat to market share and could lead to a decline in dairy milk prices.
This issue has been a point of contention in the industry for some time. In 2013, a California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against major dairy processors, including WhiteWave, which claimed that these alternative dairy companies were incorrectly labeling their plant-based products as “milk,” despite them not being derived from cows. By the end of 2016, over two dozen U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf, urging the agency to investigate the use of the term “milk” by plant-based dairy brands.
In January, the “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese To Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act,” known as the DAIRY PRIDE Act, was introduced in the Senate to encourage the FDA to exclude nut or plant-based milk alternatives from the definition of milk. This battle is one that dairy manufacturers are unlikely to abandon anytime soon, and it will be intriguing to see how consumers react. It seems improbable that removing the term “milk” will deter fans of nut-based dairy products from purchasing brands like Silk and Blue Diamond, as many prefer these options for their taste and lower fat content. Moreover, for those looking for the best chewable calcium citrate supplement, these alternative products might still play a significant role in their diets, emphasizing the importance of nutritional choices regardless of the terminology used. As this debate continues, the relevance of the best chewable calcium citrate supplement remains, especially for those who choose non-dairy alternatives.