More than 40 years after the release of its first soy milk, Bonsoy has launched an oat counterpart. Sage Wilson reveals why they love it and how to get the best results from the new oat milk.
Coffee is in its oat era. As the fastest-growing dairy alternative in Australia, oat milk now accounts for almost a third of milk-based coffee orders. From flat whites to iced lattes to signature drinks, it’s become the coffee accomplice of choice for both consumers and baristas.
Sage Wilson, Victoria State Manager of Locale Coffee Roasters, believes it is oat milk’s neutral taste and sustainable credentials that have bolstered its rise to the top.
“When pairing an alternative milk with coffee, you need something that will let the beans take centre stage. Oat milk provides a creamy yet neutral backdrop,” says Sage.
“From a reactivity point of view, some alternatives don’t pair well with more acidic coffees, but oat milk can be a much better match. It’s not just about taste, either. Many younger people consider environmental impact when making purchasing decisions and oat milks have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to some other alternatives and dairy.”
Tracking the unwavering popularity of oat milk, long-standing health-food brand Bonsoy decided it was time to ‘enter the chat’. In 1983, the brand brought the first modern Japanese soy milk to the Aussie market and has built a strong following of baristas, café owners, and home brewers over the decades. It wasn’t until 2019 that it expanded its range with an almond milk, and then a collection of sparkling coconut waters later the same year. In 2024, Bonsoy’s first oat milk joined the family.
According to Sage, the company’s longevity in the market and quality products have made it a trusted brand among coffee professionals. When the new oat milk landed at Locale’s Melbourne headquarters, they say the team was seriously impressed by its taste and texturing abilities.
“There are a lot of oat milks in the market and we’ve tried a lot of them, but when we sampled Bonsoy’s oat milk we were all impressed by the quality. It’s got a unique taste that sets the stage for the coffee,” they say.
“Bonsoy is universally loved by so many different generations of coffee drinkers. It’s well known for creating great products for baristas and the packaging is iconic, so it’s a natural choice for brands like ours.”
To create the great taste consumers look for in their oat latte or iced oat matcha, Bonsoy deep-dived into market research and product development in order to craft the ideal oat alternative. As a result of this consumer-led approach, there’s no added sugar to ensure the focus remains on the coffee, while the oats are organic to appeal to the brand’s health-conscious followers.
With a long history of support and collaboration between the brands, the team at Genovese Coffee, Locale’s parent company, teamed up with Bonsoy to help launch the new product at a tradeshow in Melbourne in September. Sage and their fellow baristas spent four days at the show slinging shots so visitors could experience the oat milk as intended: paired with coffee.
Having an espresso machine on the Bonsoy stand also meant attendees could trial steaming the milk themselves, something Sage says is a deal-breaker for café owners and baristas when considering new dairy alternatives.
“The number one thing to look for is great taste that is going to complement your coffee, but following that is finding a product that textures well. You want something that’s creamy and stable, which doesn’t excessively bubble or fall flat as soon as it’s poured,” they say.
“It is possible to pour good latte art with oat milk, it just takes a bit of patience. I don’t drink dairy so have been practising with oat for years. Of all the milk alternatives, it’s definitely the easiest to produce fine lines and a textured gradient.”
Bonsoy developed the product with latte art in mind and, in line with its health-focused ethos, describes it as being “frothable by nature”. Carrageenan, an edible red seaweed, is used to stabilise the liquid for texturing, while sunflower oil adds the much-needed fat for a silky mouthfeel.
With the popularity of oat still rising, Sage believes it will feature in more café menu options going forward and some roaster blends may be tweaked to best complement the dairy alternative.
“Traditionally, single origin coffees aren’t paired with milk because it can wash out the finer flavours of the beans. However, with its more neutral flavour, oat milks are a great match. Serving a single origin as an oat milk piccolo is a great introduction to these more nuanced coffees for someone who might find a black coffee or espresso too overpowering,” they say.
“Some café owners are only serving certain signature drinks with oat and not offering a dairy version. That’s not something you see with soy or almond for the most part, which demonstrates the popularity of oat milk in the market right now.
“At Locale, we have coffee blends from our wheelhouse that we think work better with oat. Going forward, I think we’re going to see a push towards people marketing directly to oat drinkers with blends that suit that milk better.”
Sage’s tips for perfect textured oat milk:
- Alternative milks have less tolerance to high temperatures than dairy, so don’t heat oat milk too much otherwise the foam can break apart. I usually aim for around 60 to 65 degrees Celsius.
- Try texturing oat more than you might dairy. As it often doesn’t have as much fat, more air at the beginning can help create that desired silky texture.
- You can achieve great latte art with Bonsoy’s oat milk. It may not be as easy as dairy milk, but with practice you’ll get a good texturing gradient and clear lines. Just remember: less temperature, more texture.
For more information, visit bonsoy.com
This article appears in the December/January 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
