Ulu Hye, based in Australia, has taken the dairy-free milk idea a step further with its world-first jars of concentrated Mylk Bases derived from nuts and seeds, resulting in products with a longer shelf life, reduced per-litre pricing, and improved sustainability credentials.
Consumers are generally encouraged to consume opened dairy or non-dairy milks within four to five days, but because most of these products are sold in 1L volumes, it is usual for smaller households or single consumers to have to discard expired milk.
“Food waste is a serious problem, and leftover milk is frequently tossed down the drain. Our goal with our concentrated base is to allow customers to create exactly what they want, when they want it, without having to push themselves to finish a litre in a few days if they don’t want to, or waste it by pouring it away “Heidi Peuten, co-founder of Ulu Hye, said to the press.
“Unopened, each jar has a two-year shelf life, and once opened, it may be stored in a cold, dark, and moisture-free environment for two to three months. Our concentrated bases are a world-first idea, so it’s not just a new product, but a completely new category within the plant-based dairy sector, which offers up a plethora of opportunities.”
Ulu Hye’s Mylk Bases are now supplied in 300g glass jars and may be used to produce 10 litres of nut or seed milk by adding water and, if desired, a sweetener. It also features an Almond Mylk Base, a Hazelnut Mylk Base, and a Hemp Mylk Base in addition to the original Nut Mylk Base made from cashews, macadamias, and almonds.
“We add sunflower seeds to the Hemp Mylk Base to enhance the earthy tones of hemp seeds. All of the mylk bases are additive-free and unsweetened, however they do include macrobiotic sea salt “Peuten said.
“Each 300g jar currently has an RRP of A$29.95 (US$22.09), and because this can make 10 litres of milk, each litre costs around A$2.99 (US$2.21), which is significantly less than the pricing of other plant-based milks in Australia, where each litre of a premium, healthy product costs over A$5 (US$3.69) and lower-range ones with gums and other additives costs around A$3.50 (US$2.58).”
However, she agreed that, because to the high initial expenses of employing premium ingredients, overall retail pricing per large jar is still relatively costly for smaller families or single customers, and announced plans to offer smaller jars to appeal to this market.
“At the moment, many of our most ardent customers are larger families that go through a lot of milk and are short on time but want a nutritious choice that is as near to homemade milk as possible,” she explained.
“We recognise that the total price is expensive because our present packaging is for 10 litres of milk, and that there are probable people who do not have the financial means to pay for such a large amount or who are unwilling to buy so much at once. This is why we’ll be releasing three-litre jars shortly in the hopes of tapping into these markets and persuading people to at least sample it.”
Aside from minimising food waste and lowering prices, Peuten feels that this new dairy-free milk idea has the potential to address a number of concerns related to sustainable packaging.
“Milk is commonly sold in plastic cartons by the litre in Australia, and many of these cartons end up in garbage – based on our design, the glass jars can be reused, reducing overall plastic consumption and carbon impact,” she noted.
Ulu Hye’s concentrated Mylk Bases are sold in over 250 health food, bulk food, and independent shops in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Following COVID-19, the goal is to debut into large supermarkets in Australia next year, with additional markets in Asia, the EU, the United States, and the United Kingdom to follow.
Product development
Ulu Hye now sells plant-based DIY condiments including mayonnaise, ranch sauce, and hollandaise, in addition to the Mylk Bases.
“These are powders that you just mix with water and any oil of your choosing and blend to make the condiment,” Peuten explained.
“This cuts down on the quantity of oil ingested because the only oil used is what the customer adds, making the condiment significantly lower in fats, and the ingredients are also clean and plant-based.”
“Because each 60g jar generates six cups of sauce, the premise is the same for extending shelf life and reducing food waste, as well as reducing the number of plastic bottles required to store conventional condiments.”
The company will concentrate on producing new goods to add to its portfolio in the future.
“We now have a Chocolate Mylk Base created with hazelnuts, which is a seasonal flavour, and we’ll be introducing a Strawberry Mylk Base in a few weeks,” she added.
“This year, we’ll be focused on producing recipes for use with our goods to offer consumers other ways to use them,” says the company.