Tnuva Launches Spelt Drink Amid Growing Plant-Based Milk Alternatives Market

Tnuva has introduced a new spelt-based drink developed at its Alternative factory, aiming to expand its presence in Israel's growing plant-based milk substitute market. The drink contains only four ingredients: water, spelt, coconut oil, and salt, aligning with Tnuva's strategy to offer products with clean labels and minimal components. Positioned alongside popular alternatives like oat, soy, and almond milk, the spelt drink features a creamy texture and a mild, nutty flavor but is not suitable for celiac consumers due to its gluten content. It also contains less protein than cow's milk and soy milk and has a higher glycemic index (63 versus 31 for cow's milk). However, it is richer in minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, as well as vitamins B1 and B3.

The spelt drink represents a calculated risk for Tnuva, as spelt-based milk alternatives currently hold a minor share of the global plant-based milk market, mainly popular in European countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, competitors like Strauss have recently boosted the plant-based category with new soy yogurt products, increasing market interest by 70%. Tnuva dominates the alternative dairy category with its "Alternative" brand desserts and plans to launch a simplified soy dessert with only three ingredients to further emphasize clean labeling.

In addition to plant-based drinks, Tnuva is preparing to market "The New Milk" cheese alternatives, competing with Strauss's Cow Free brand. The company is also focusing on reducing ingredient complexity across its product lines, including dairy yogurts and other food categories, aiming to become a "better nutrition" company by 2030. Despite some past product failures, Tnuva continues to innovate with functional foods and plans to enrich products with health supplements while catering to special dietary needs. The company commits to reducing ingredient counts by 20% and increasing nutritionally beneficial products by 5% in the near future.

Tnuva's move comes amid ongoing shortages of cottage cheese and white cheese in Israel, prompting consumers to seek alternative dairy options. The new spelt drink, marketed as "Simple," is part of a broader trend toward minimalistic, clean-label products in the Israeli dairy and plant-based market sectors.