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Wide Open Agriculture achieves initial success in consumer tests of lupin protein oat milk

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By Lorna Nicholas - 
Wide Open Agriculture ASX WOA lupin protein oat milk

A consumer who trialled Wide Open Agriculture’s lupin protein oat milk said it was “delicious” and the “flavour and texture was preferable to cow milk”.

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Wide Open Agriculture (ASX: WOA) has proven its modified lupin protein can be incorporated in food and beverages after successful market testing of a high protein oat milk containing the ingredient.

The company has developed a proprietary protein from Australian sweet lupin for inclusion in a variety of plant-based products.

Samples of the lupin protein have also been sent to food producers around the world.

Protein oat milk products

Wide Open has developed a vanilla-flavoured oat milk that contains its modified lupin protein.

The milk has 20 grams of protein per 100ml and Wide Open has undertaken initial taste and sensory testing.

Refining of the final recipe is ongoing with the product scheduled to be launched in the June quarter of next year.

In addition to the vanilla flavoured milk, Wide Open is also developing an unflavoured oat milk that includes its modified lupin protein.

Consumer testing of the prototypes has already yielded positive results.

Good Grocer IGA Shenton Park’s store manager Fernando Merino told Wide Open its new product was “exciting”.

“This new product is creamy, super-tasty milk made from regeneratively farmed oats grown right here in WA – so it is perfectly aligned with a plant-based lifestyle,” he added.

Another person who tested the product referred to it as “delicious” and said the “flavour and texture was preferrable to cow milk”.

It is expected this milk will have about 3.4g of protein per 100ml.

Wide Open aims to have the lowest carbon, high-protein oat milk worldwide.

Regenerative oats

The oats included in the milk come from Western Australian farms that are committed to regenerative principles.

According to Wide Open, WA oats have a reputation for high taste and quality around the world.

Additionally, oat milk is ranked in the top plant-based beverages for its eco-credentials.

Wide Open already sells a regeneratively farmed and carbon-neutral oat milk known as OatUp through its Dirty Clean Food brand.

The new protein oat milk will also be sold under the Dirty Clean Food brand which is expected to have a major point of difference to other products with its carbon neutral certification and regeneratively farmed oats and lupins.

Oat milk market

Wide Open estimates the global oat milk market was worth about U$3.7 billion (A$5 billion) in 2019.

This market is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% from 2020 to 2027.

In the UK alone, oat milk sales have outpaced every other plant-based milk on the market.

As well as OatUp and the two lupin protein prototype oat milk products, Wide Open has numerous other flavours and products in the pipeline that will be launched as the 2022 financial year progresses.

The products will be sold under the Dirty Clean Food brand.

Additionally, Wide Open aims to supply other brands with its lupin protein for inclusion in their products.