Discover Oatey's Sustainable Plant-Based Milk Alternatives for a Healthier Future
India’s relationship with dairy is changing. More people are searching for “vegan milk in India”, “plant-based milk for chai”, and “oat milk for coffee” as they rethink both their health and the planet’s health.
At the same time, climate reports are clear. Traditional cow’s milk has a significantly higher environmental impact than plant-based milk when you look at greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use per litre. Large global datasets show that cow’s milk can generate around three times more greenhouse gas emissions, use about ten times more land, and consume between two and twenty times more freshwater than plant-based alternatives like soy, oat, almond, or coconut milk.¹
This is where Oatey comes in as a new kind of Indian brand – one that is built on millets and oats, designed for everyday Indian use, and intentionally positioned as both Earth-friendly and heart-friendly.
In this blog, you will discover:
Why plant-based milk is more sustainable than conventional dairy
How millets and oats make Oatey naturally aligned with India’s climate goals
What makes Oatey’s formulations different from typical vegan milks
How Oatey fits into your daily chai, coffee, smoothies, and family routines
1. Why Sustainability Matters In Your Glass Of Milk
1.1 Dairy vs plant-based milk: the climate story
Life cycle assessments that compare dairy and plant-based milks across multiple countries show a consistent pattern: animal milk has the highest environmental footprint, while plant-based milks (soy, oat, almond, pea, coconut) sit much lower on almost every impact metric.¹ ²
Per litre of product, research indicates that:
| Metric | Cow’s milk (typical) | Plant based milks (soy, oat, almond, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Highest – baseline | Around one third or less of dairy¹ ² |
| Land use | Very high | Roughly 75 – 90 percent lower¹ |
| Freshwater use | High | Lower for most plant milks¹ ² |
| Eutrophication (water pollution) | High | Significantly lower¹ |
In simple terms, shifting even one daily glass from dairy to plant based milk can cut the climate footprint of that drink by more than half and massively reduce the land needed to produce it.
1.2 Millets and oats: crops that fit India’s climate future
Millets are now officially recognised as “climate resilient” crops. The United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets to highlight their role in food security and climate resilience, and India is the world’s largest producer.³
Key sustainability advantages of millets include:
Thrive in arid and semi-arid conditions
Require less water than rice or wheat
Tolerate heat and erratic rainfall better than many conventional cereals
Provide higher micronutrient density compared to rice and wheat in many cases³ ⁴
Oats, meanwhile, are known for:
Lower greenhouse gas emissions per gram of protein compared to many animal products
Lower land use compared to dairy¹ ²
Ability to be grown in temperate climates and integrated into crop rotations that support soil health
By building its core products on sprouted millets blended with oats, Oatey is working with, not against, India’s climate and agricultural realities.
2. What Makes Oatey’s Plant-Based Milk Different
Oatey is a focused plant based dairy brand created by Plant Essentials Private Limited. Instead of chasing every trend, it concentrates on oat and millet based drinks that can truly replace dairy in an Indian household.
2.1 Clean, fortified, and allergy friendly
Marketplace listings for Oatey Millet Drink describe it as:⁵
Earth friendly and heart friendly
Non-dairy and lactose free
Vegan and nut free
Soy free
Cholesterol free
No added sugar
No preservatives
Fortified with calcium, vitamin D, B1, B2, and B12
Enriched with citrus fibre and Himalayan pink salt
The composition typically includes an oat base plus around 11 percent sprouted millets such as jowar, ragi, buckwheat, and amaranth, along with low erucic acid rapeseed oil for healthy fats and fat soluble vitamins.⁵
This makes Oatey particularly relevant for:
Lactose intolerant consumers
People with nut or soy allergies
Those looking to reduce cholesterol and added sugar
Families that want one versatile, vegan option for everyone
2.2 Everyday usability: chai, coffee, breakfast, and beyond
Oatey’s range is designed to fit into daily Indian consumption patterns:
Oatey Premium Millet Drink (Unsweetened) – for chai, cooking, smoothies, and cereals
Barista Oat Milk – formulated to work well in coffee and tea, with a creamy texture
Chocolate Oat Milk and Caramel Coffee Oat Milk – indulgent yet functional, suitable as a snack, post workout drink, or dessert replacement
Kesar Badam Millet Milk – a saffron and almond inspired flavour profile, but still fully plant based and dairy free
Assorted Packs and Limited Edition Boxes – create easy discovery sets for new users and gifting
Retail descriptions specifically mention that the millet drink can be used as a dairy alternative in coffee, tea, desserts, baked goods, smoothies, protein shakes, or simply chilled on its own.⁵
3. Health And Sustainability In One Glass
3.1 Comparing Oatey Millet Drink with typical cow’s milk
Nutritional values can vary by product, but if we compare a typical Indian whole cow’s milk profile to Oatey’s millet drink using publicly listed values, a clear pattern emerges.⁵ ⁶
Illustrative comparison per 100 ml
| Parameter | Oatey Millet Drink (unsweetened, plant based)⁵ | Typical cow’s milk (whole, India)⁶ |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Around 60 kcal | ~61 kcal |
| Protein | ~1 g | ~3.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | ~1.5 g (from oats and millets) | ~0 g |
| Added sugar | 0 g (no added sugar) | 0 g added, but ~4.8 g lactose |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg (cholesterol free) | Present |
| Calcium | Good source, ~120 mg (fortified) | ~113 mg |
| Lactose | None | Present |
From a sustainability standpoint, when this plant based milk replaces cow’s milk, you combine:
Lower climate impact and land use at the farming level¹ ²
Higher fibre and zero cholesterol in the glass⁵
Fortified micronutrients comparable to dairy⁵ ¹
3.2 Oats, millets, and heart health
Oatey specifically highlights that its millet drink contains beta glucans from oats, a soluble fibre linked to better heart health and improved cholesterol profiles.⁵ Clinical research has consistently associated oat beta glucans with reductions in LDL cholesterol as part of a balanced diet.
Millets, on the other hand, are recognised in scientific reviews as:
Naturally gluten free
Often high in minerals like calcium and iron
Helpful in managing blood glucose due to their low to moderate glycaemic index⁴
Together, this makes Oatey relevant not only for vegans, but also for flexitarian consumers and families trying to improve heart health, digestion, and long term wellbeing.
4. How Oatey Supports A More Sustainable Food System
4.1 Supporting climate resilient crops
By choosing a millet and oat based formula, Oatey indirectly supports demand for crops that:
Grow in semi-arid and rain fed areas
Can help diversify monoculture heavy farming systems
Require fewer inputs like irrigation compared to sugarcane or rice in many contexts³
Articles and government reports on millets emphasise that India produces the majority of Asia’s millets and that promoting millet consumption can improve both nutrition and climate resilience in food systems.³ ⁷
4.2 An Indian brand with a credible sustainability story
Oatey is not an imported concept. It is an Indian plant based dairy alternative brand that:
Is marketed as Earth friendly and cruelty free across major marketplaces⁵ ⁸
Is available on platforms such as Amazon, BigBasket, and JioMart, making sustainable choices easy to access for urban households⁵ ⁸
Has brought Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane on board as both investor and brand ambassador, reinforcing its focus on healthy, sustainable, cruelty free living⁹ ¹⁰
For consumers looking at “sustainable vegan milk in India”, this combination of Indian crops, Indian manufacturing, and an Indian sports icon makes the brand culturally relevant as well as environmentally aligned.
5. Simple Framework: Choosing The Right Oatey Drink For Your Lifestyle
Use this simple table to guide your choice based on health goals and usage.
| Your goal / use case | Recommended Oatey option | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Daily chai and household milk replacement | Oatey Premium Millet Drink (Unsweetened) | Neutral taste, fibre, no added sugar, lactose free, nut/soy free⁵ |
| Coffee, lattes, and barista style drinks | Oatey Barista Oat Milk | Creamy, formulated to froth and blend well in hot beverages |
| High protein snack or post-workout drink | Caramel Coffee Oat Milk / Chocolate Oat Milk | Oat based, higher protein, indulgent yet plant based |
| Kid friendly flavours and tiffin options | Chocolate Oat Milk, Kesar Badam Millet Milk | Familiar dessert-like flavours without dairy and with fortified nutrients |
| Discovery and gifting | Oatey Assorted Pack / Limited Edition Assorted Box | Lets new consumers try multiple flavours at once |
6. FAQs: Oatey, Sustainability, And Plant-Based Milk
1. Is Oatey completely vegan?
Yes. Oatey’s drinks are marketed as vegan and dairy free across their marketplace listings. They do not contain cow’s milk or other animal derived ingredients, making them suitable for vegans and lactose intolerant consumers.⁵ ⁸
2. Are Oatey products suitable for people with nut or soy allergies?
The Oatey millet drink is specifically described as nut free and soy free, which makes it a strong option for those who cannot consume nuts or soy.⁵ Always check the ingredients on the specific SKU before purchase and consult a doctor in case of severe allergies.
3. How is Oatey more sustainable than regular milk?
Oatey is based on plant ingredients like oats and millets. Global research shows that plant based milks, including oat based drinks, generally create about one third or less of the greenhouse gas emissions of cow’s milk and use much less land and often less water.¹ ² Millets themselves are recognised as climate resilient crops that thrive in dry conditions with fewer inputs.³ ⁴
4. Does plant based milk like Oatey have enough calcium and vitamins?
Marketplace listings highlight that Oatey millet drink is fortified with calcium and vitamins D, B1, B2, and B12.⁵ Independent analyses of plant based milks also show that many oat and almond milks are fortified to reach calcium levels similar to dairy, and often add vitamins D and B12 for vegans.¹ Always check the nutrition label of the product you buy.
5. Can I use Oatey in hot chai and filter coffee?
Yes. Oatey’s millet drink and barista oat drink are both designed to work in hot beverages. Product descriptions explicitly recommend using them as a dairy alternative in tea and coffee.⁵ For more foam and latte art, the Barista Oat Milk variant is the best choice.
6. Is Oatey good for children?
Oatey products are listed as safe for human consumption and highlight that they are free from lactose, preservatives, added sugar, and hormones.⁵ However, nutritional requirements for children can be specific, especially around protein and overall calorie intake, so parents should consult a paediatrician before making a complete switch from dairy for young children.
7. How does Oatey support heart health?
Oatey millet drink is described as heart friendly, mainly because it uses oats that provide beta glucans (a type of soluble fibre linked to cholesterol management), contains zero cholesterol, and has no added sugar.⁵ For adults focused on heart health, this can be a better everyday mixer than full fat dairy milk when combined with a balanced diet and lifestyle.
8. Where can I buy Oatey’s plant based milks?
Oatey is available on major Indian platforms like Amazon, BigBasket, and JioMart, and through select modern trade and quick commerce channels.⁵ ⁸ ⁹ This wide presence makes sustainable switching easier for urban households in metros and Tier 1 cities.
7. Final Thoughts: A Healthier Future, One Cart At A Time
Sustainability is no longer an abstract word reserved for policy documents and climate conferences. It now lives in very personal choices: what you pour into your chai, what your kids drink after school, and what you stock in your refrigerator.
By choosing Oatey’s plant based millet and oat drinks, you are:
Reducing your food related greenhouse gas emissions and land footprint compared to dairy¹ ²
Supporting climate resilient crops like millets that are central to India’s long term food security³ ⁴
Giving your family a lactose free, cholesterol free, fibre rich option that can slip effortlessly into your existing routines⁵
In other words, you are not just switching milk. You are voting for a healthier, more sustainable future with every sip.
References
Ritchie, H. (2022). “Dairy vs. plant-based milk: what are the environmental impacts?” Our World in Data.
Santo, R. (2025). “Which Milks Are Best for the Planet?” World Resources Institute.
FoodUnfolded (2023). “2023 is The International ‘Year of Millets’ – Here’s Why They Matter For Global Food Security.”
Borah, A. et al. (2023). “The International Year of Millet 2023: A Global Initiative for Sustainable Food Security and Nutrition.”
JioMart product listing: “OATEY MILLET Drink – Unsweetened, Hormone Free, Non-dairy, Vegan, Nut Free, No-added Sugar, 8 × 200 ml.”
USDA / Indian nutrition tables for whole cow’s milk, and coverage in Indian media summarising typical macro-nutrient values.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (India) and related government briefs on the International Year of Millets and millet production in India.
BigBasket brand and product pages for “Oatey Premium Millet Plant Based Drink – No Added Sugar, 200 ml” and related Oatey listings.
The Financial Express (2023). “Ajinkya Rahane invests in plant-based dairy alternatives brand Oatey.”
Indian Startup News (2023). “Plant-based dairy alternatives brand OATEY onboards Ajinkya Rahane as brand ambassador and investor.”
Plant-based nutrition