Plant-based drink brand Alpro has pledged to source 100% of its oats from British farmers as part of a move to bolster its UK presence.
The manufacturer has today (24 March) announced a major investment in the UK to allow its oat drink to be made from 100% British oats for the first time.
It is the result of a multi-million-pound investment in the UK by parent company Danone, in a drive to support local farming and strengthen its plant-based offering.
Oats will be sourced from local farms and processed at the Navara Oat Mill site, based in Kettering, which is owned by agronomy business Frontier Agriculture, alongside co-op Camgrain.
Alrpo, which also has a facility in Kettering, said its changes in oat sourcing and production process would significantly cut food miles and give local farmers new revenue streams.
Some 58 million litres of the oat drink are planned to be produced annually at the brand's factory, equating to a quarter of the site’s production of plant-based drinks.
Figures show that only 1% of oat drinks sold in the UK have been guaranteed to be from 100% British oats.
James Skidmore, managing director at Navara Oat Milling, admitted that the rise in the use of plant-based food ingredients had brought changes to the farming industry.
But he said the investment by Alpro and Danone was "exciting" for farmers as it would open up new opportunities for them.
"When businesses back British agriculture, famers have more options for their crops, leading to increased resilience and potential for growth," he explained.
“The investment will boost capacity and production at the Navara Mill, bringing substantial benefits to the local community both in Kettering, and further afield.”
Jon Ruberry, category director at Danone UK, said the firm continued to see a big appetite amongst shoppers for plant-based products, especially for ‘flexitarian’ shoppers.
"It is also clear that oat-based drinks are increasingly popular with consumers, a trend that is here to stay," Mr Ruberry added.
"This expansion is a key part of our ambition to bring greater choice to supermarket shelves, providing a locally sourced product and a nutritious new recipe that we think shoppers will love.”
