Swedish-based Sproud, producers of pea protein milk, recently announced that it has raised £4.8 million (approximately $6.6 million USD) for the production of its pea protein milk (news from Dairy Reporter). The funding was led by UK-based early growth capital investor VGC Partners.
The funding will be used for brand building in core markets, increasing distribution, and expanding Sproud’s team, The company launched in Sweden in 2018, and since then, it has launched in 15 different markets globally, including core markets of the US, UK, and Canada.
Sproud’s plant-based milk uses pea protein as the main ingredient, as well as rapeseed oil and oat oil to provide a creamy consistency. To boost the nutritional content, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D are added. The pea protein milk is offered in four different varieties: barista, original, unsweetened, and chocolate.
One concern plant-based milk skeptics hold is that non-dairy milk cannot compare to the nutritional value found in dairy milk. Certain ingredients like oat, coconut, and almond that are commonly used for plant-based milk may not contain the same high amounts of protein that dairy contains. Sproud boasts that its milk contains two times as much protein as oat milk; oat milk contains around 1 gram of protein while Sproud’s milk contains 2 grams per serving. However, dairy milk contains 8 grams of protein per cup, so there is still a disparity here.
Pea protein has become the beloved ingredient in the world of plant-based products and is commonly found in meat alternatives (like in Beyond Meat) and other dairy alternatives like milk, creamers, and ice cream. In the US, Ripple Foods also produces pea protein-based milk, as well as alternative dairy products including creamer and ice cream. Boulder, Colorado-based Good Karma makes a variety of flax and pea protein alternative dairy products, including milk, dips, and sour cream.
Sproud’s pea protein milk is available for purchase online on its website, as well as on Amazon or Vitacost. It can also be purchased in-store at UK retailers such as Waitrose and Ocado, and a variety of independent retailers and cafes.
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