Danone, the France-based manufacturer of plant-based brands Silk and So Delicious, has discontinued a pair of milk alternatives introduced three years ago, the company told Food Dive.
The CPG giant debuted Silk Nextmilk and So Delicious Wondermilk in late 2021 after replicating the traits in milk — its taste, nutritional components, molecular composition and even the nostalgic feeling it created with the consumer — but in plant form. The goal, the company said at the time, was to deliver the necessary taste and texture to attract milk drinkers who have wanted to make the switch to plants but have found these attributes lacking.
“As the #1 producer of plant-based food and beverage products in North America, Danone is consistently pushing the boundaries of what plants can do and how good they can taste,” the company said in a statement to Food Dive. “After some time on shelves, we made the difficult decision to discontinue Silk Nextmilk and So Delicious Dairy Free Wondermilk in 2023. We are prioritizing our efforts on innovation across our product portfolio to deliver on evolving consumer preferences, including functional and nutritional needs.”
Danone pointed to its new Silk Protein Almondmilk that has the equivalent to the amount of protein in a glass of dairy milk and about half as much sugar and 50% more calcium than dairy milk. The product was launched on U.S. shelves in January.
Danone did not comment on why Silk Nextmilk and So Delicious Wondermilk were pulled from shelves or when they were discontinued, though the products were reportedly still seen in stores in early 2024.
The decision by Danone comes as the once fast-growing plant-based milk sector has struggled recently.
After four straight years of growth, plant-based milk sales declined 0.7% to $2.5 billion in 2023, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. The drop has shown signs of accelerating, with sales slipping 2.9% for the 52 weeks ending Feb. 25.
