Oat milk sales have grown by 34% in the last year, and the category is expected to continue growing with consumers looking to reduce dairy intake and opt for more sustainable food and drink options.
Glebe Farm claims that over 80% of the UK oat milk market is made up of imports with Oatly, Jord and Alpro all sourcing their oats from outside the UK, despite research from Glebe Farm finding that 73% of consumers want to buy British.
Recent research found that 70% of people said it was important to know where food & drink comes from and almost two thirds (64%) of respondents reported they were concerned about the environmental impact of the food and drink they consume.
As part of their campaign, Glebe Farm has erected an ‘arrivals board’ outside Luton Airport that highlights where key competitors source their oats from. Glebe Farm believes the UK oat milk market should be largely dominated by British manufacturers, the same way dairy milk is.
According to a Glebe Farm spokesperson, Oatly import and grow their oats in Sweden, Alpro grows their oats in Europe but pack them in Belgium, while Jord’s oats are Nordic. It is Glebe Farm’s mission to get Britain to be more self-sufficient as it is essential to support British economy.
Phillip Rayner, co-owner of Glebe Farm, said: "Consumers who care about the environment are being misled by the big oat milk brands. They say wholly things like 'our oats are sourced from Northern Europe'. It's time for more transparency over where these products come from. British farmers can make the UK oat milk largely self-sufficiently. You wouldn't expect to buy a pint of Swedish dairy milk."
Glebe Farm's PureOaty claims to be the only milk alternative made using 100%, gluten free, British oats (and never using a concentrate or syrup base). They say their product is fully traceable and grown on and within an average of 40 miles of the family farm in Cambridge.