Coca-Cola has just introduced an oat milk line in the US under its Simply brand. Smart move, say industry observers, as America is lapping up the plant-based alternative. This month several Starbucks stores reported running out of oat milk, an offering the coffee chain introduced in March. But the biggest splash is by Oatly, the 27-year-old Swedish oat milk company with quirky ads and slogans — “it tastes like shit”, “may cause total boredom”. Oatly’s upcoming IPO with a rumoured valuation of $10 billion has made everyone sit up and take notice of this category. Plant-based milk sales have grown 14 per cent in the US.

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