Coming soon from Milkadamia: 2D-printed sheets of oat milk

Innovation update  /  A year ago, we featured a new German product called Mililk, which reduces oat milk's shipping and packaging footprint by printing it into sheets. Users blend a sheet with water to create fluid oat milk. Parent company Veganz recently secured EUR 10M in equity financing to scale up production of Mililk. Meanwhile, the concept hasn't gone unnoticed on the other side of the Atlantic.

Milkadamia, an Illinois-based maker of macadamia nut milk, is adding a new non-dairy product to its line-up: Flat Pack Organic Oat Milk, 'the first and only flat pack milk in the US.' As with Mililk, a 2D printing process transforms oat milk paste into compact, lightweight sheets. To enjoy the milk, consumers simply tear off the desired quantity and blend it with water for 30 seconds, or soak the sheets overnight and shake.

According to Milkadamia, the format reduces packaging waste by 94% and cuts weight by 85% compared to traditional milk containers. A pack contains eight sheets that can each be reconstituted to make 8 fl oz/237 ml of oat milk, allowing consumers to prepare fresh, customized portions as needed. A retail rollout is expected in January 2025.

🗑️ 📦 🚛 Mililk and Milkadamia are tackling the massive problem of post-consumer waste management by proactively reducing packaging materials. Sheets of plant milk might pave the way for further flat-packing in the food industry, since taking the H2O out of liquid products could appeal both to consumers seeking sustainable alternatives and manufacturers looking for efficiency in product design and delivery.