The world is moving towards sustainable alternatives, and coffee drinking is no exception. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the rise in popularity of non-dairy milks. Soy, almond, coconut, oat, cashew… the list goes on. The question is, what goes best with coffee?

Why is milk important in coffee?

Milk has a big impact on the final flavour and aesthetic of a coffee. These elements are essential to coffees because of the process of milk steaming, which is what gives the coffee its foamy feel. Flat whites, cappuccinos, and lattes all depend on this process being perfect to fulfil their criteria. Because of the slightly different make-up across different non-dairy milks, some fit better than others. We used our Halo All Good Blend to put a few different non-dairy milks to the test. Here are our top three picks.

Oat Milk

Oat milk has quickly become a celebrity in the world of non-dairy milks, with some Kiwis jumping in on the popularity and creating New Zealand grown and made oat milks.

What does it taste like?

To put it simply, delicious. As a result of the oats, the coffee brings a wheaty, malty flavour with it, which people love. It has a naturally thick and buttery texture which has made it a big competitor for dairy milk. Baristas also love it for its ease when it comes to steaming and creating nice foam.

Our favourite?

Otis Oat Milk’s ‘The Barista One’. Otis is a Dunedin-based company that’s had plenty of success since they began back in 2017. It has a delicious flavour that makes for a perfect flat white when paired with our All Good Blend. It was so yummy we had to pour an extra mug for ourselves after testing.

Soy Milk

Soy is known as one of the go-to’s amongst the non-dairy milks. It was already a popular option before the rise of plant milks.

What does it taste like?

It doesn’t have a huge amount of flavour. This is a good thing for coffee brands and baristas because they know it won’t affect the flavour of the coffee.

Our favourite?

Happy Soy Boy goes deliciously with our Halo All Good Blend. It replicates the creaminess of dairy milk perfectly, which is essential for a good coffee.

Coconut

Coconut milk is great when it comes to coffee, because of its texture. This is because it has similar fats to dairy milk, which when steamed, makes a perfect pour.

What does it taste like?

Compared to the likes of soy and almond, coconut has a pretty overpowering taste. If you’re used to dairy milk in coffees, using coconut milk will make for a very different tasting coffee (Unless you're a big coconut fan, of course!)

Our favourite?

Little Island’s Coconut Milk is pretty hard to beat. They also do blends, with almond, oat, and chocolate. Their whole range adds a really natural sweet flavour to coffee without any artificial flavours or sweeteners. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re in the right place!

Now that we know what milk makes the best coffee, what beans make the best coffee? That one is easy, it’s always Halo beans.

Find your nearest Halo coffee cafe

BATTLE OF THE PLANT MILKS

Why is milk important in coffee?

Oat Milk

Soy Milk

It doesn’t have a huge amount of flavour. This is a good thing for coffee brands and baristas because they know it won’t affect the flavour of the coffee.

Happy Soy Boy goes deliciously with our Halo All Good Blend. It replicates the creaminess of dairy milk perfectly, which is essential for a good coffee.

Coconut

Compared to the likes of soy and almond, coconut has a pretty overpowering taste. If you’re used to dairy milk in coffees, using coconut milk will make for a very different tasting coffee (Unless you're a big coconut fan, of course!)

Little Island’s Coconut Milk is pretty hard to beat. They also do blends, with almond, oat, and chocolate. Their whole range adds a really natural sweet flavour to coffee without any artificial flavours or sweeteners. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re in the right place!