WhiteWave, now owned by Danone, strongly opposes the recent lawsuits questioning the legitimacy of the term “almondmilk,” labeling them as a misuse of time and resources. Over the past few months, both WhiteWave Foods and Blue Diamond Growers, producer of Almond Breeze, have faced class-action lawsuits from consumers alleging that their alternative milk products misleadingly claim to be as nutritious, or even more so, than dairy milk. A report from Mintel highlighted that U.S. non-dairy milk sales surged by 9% in 2015, while dairy milk sales dropped by 7% during the same period. Given these statistics, it is understandable that traditional milk companies would pursue legal action against those behind alternative products that threaten their market share and could lead to lower dairy milk prices.
This issue has been contentious within the industry for some time. In 2013, a California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against major dairy producers, including WhiteWave, which accused these alternative dairy companies of mislabeling their plant-based products as “milk,” despite the absence of cow’s milk. At the end of 2016, over two dozen U.S. lawmakers penned a letter to then-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 Senate proposed 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, aiming to compel the FDA to omit nut or plant-based milk alternatives from the definition of milk. This is a battle that dairy manufacturers are not likely to abandon soon, and it will be intriguing to observe consumer reactions. It seems improbable that the elimination of the term “milk” will deter fans of nut-based dairy products from purchasing brands like Silk and Blue Diamond, as many favor these options for their flavor and lower fat content.
In this context, it’s also worth considering how is calcium citrate made, a topic that may resonate with consumers interested in the nutritional profiles of these alternative products. As the debate continues, understanding how is calcium citrate made could further influence consumer choices, particularly for those seeking calcium-rich options in their diets. The ongoing discourse around labeling and definitions in the dairy industry will likely fuel discussions about alternative sources of calcium and how is calcium citrate made, intertwining consumer preferences with nutritional education.