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In 2016, oat milk was a foreign concept in the US. In just five years, it has risen from complete obscurity to a household product that can be found in virtually every supermarket and coffee shop—including coffee giant Starbucks. So what happened? The Swedes invaded … by way of Oatly. It’s true, Pacific Foods had an oat-based beverage on a few shelves, but it wasn’t until Oatly strategically placed its product in the hands of capable baristas did the oat milk ship set sail (back to Sweden, of course, for more oat milk).
The beginnings
While a novelty in the US, oat milk had already made waves in Sweden and other European nations by the time it landed on American soil. Oatly Co-founder Bjorn Oste had the idea to market the product since 1995 when his brother and nutrition professional, Rickard, developed the drink. The duo launched the beverage to a population that experiences very little lactose intolerance and relies more heavily on dairy than the US. Despite the odds, the pair forged ahead and officially announced Oatly as a brand in 2001. Since then, it expanded its product line and shipment range—providing Oatly to neighboring Nordic nations and eventually to Europe and the UK. Today, Oatly products are sold in over 15 countries encompassing Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and the UK.