Alpro Costa

Alpro has expanded its partnership with Costa after signing a new global deal to supply the coffee chain with Alpro Coconut For Professionals.

The agreement builds on the brand and Costa’s existing relationship to supply soya milk from its For Professionals range, allowing it to add a coconut milk option to its menus.

It also sees Whitbread-owned Costa introduce a new range of coconut-flavoured drinks - consisting of Coconut Flat White, Coconut Vanilla Latte and Coconut Mocha - which went on sale in about 1,400 Costa outlets in the UK last week.

According to research conducted by Alpro in 2016, some 62% of consumers considered it an important factor that coffee shops offered multiple plant-based alternatives.

“We’ve seen an ongoing increase in demand for ingredients like soya and coconut out of home, and we’re excited that this new relationship with Costa will encourage even more widespread trial,” said head of marketing at Alpro UK and Ireland Vicky Upton.

In the UK, the launch would be supported with a mass media campaign as well as in-store point of sale and social media outreach, said Alpro.

The Alpro For Professionals range includes soya, almond and coconut flavoured milks that have been specifically formulated for use in coffee with subtle flavours and a high quality micro foam ideal for latte art, it said.