Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-30-2025
Abstract
Coffee shops in the United States typically offer several options of dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) for espresso-based beverages. Although previous studies have explored consumer preferences for dairy or PBMA in general, none have examined what drives their milk or PBMA choices specifically in the context of coffee shops. This study aimed to identify key decision drivers for the choice of milks in coffee, assess the role of lactose-free preferences, and explore whether offering lactose-free cow milk would increase coffee shop visits. Following a preliminary study using in-depth interviews, an online survey was used to collect data from 300 regular coffee drinkers in California, ages 18 and older, consisting of 50% males and 50% females. The survey participants were self-identified as primary dairy milk drinkers, primary PBMA drinkers, or flexitarians, depending on their milk and PBMA consumption habits. The highest-impact drivers for choice of milk for all 3 groups were taste and texture, along with health and nutrition. Dairy milk drinkers' and flexitarians' choices of dairy milk and PBMA were also affected by how familiar the dairy milks and PBMA were to them. Flexitarians and primary PBMA drinkers were more familiar with lactose-free milk than primary dairy milk drinkers. A significant portion of PBMA drinkers (32%) and flexitarians (36%) would be more likely to visit a coffee shop if lactose-free milk was available. The results reveal opportunities for the dairy industry to boost dairy consumption in coffee by promoting lactose-free dairy milk's digestibility and comparable nutrition profile to traditional dairy milk.
Recommended Citation
Phan, U. T. X., L. Hoang, K. Weber, and A. Prakash. Major drivers of consumer choice of dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives in coffee. J. Dairy Sci. 109:183-198. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27342
Peer Reviewed
1
Copyright
The authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
This article was originally published in Journal of Dairy Science, volume 109, issue 1, in 2026. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27342