WASHINGTON – Today, leading advocates and organizations representing manufacturers of plant-based foods, including the Soyfoods Association of North America, the Good Food Institute, Blue Diamond, and Campbell Soup Company, have come together to oppose the Dairy Pride Act.
Leading the coalition is the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), a trade association representing 88 makers of plant-based foods, including plant-based milks, cheeses, and yogurt. PBFA member company representatives lobbying today include those making milks, yogurt, and ice cream derived from healthy and sustainable ingredients such as nuts, oats, and flax seeds.
The group will tell members of Congress to oppose the “Dairy Pride Act”, a proposed federal bill that would prohibit labels with commonly understood words such as “soymilk” and “coconut yogurt”.
According to data recently commissioned from Nielsen, sales of plant-based dairy alternatives including cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, and creamers, (excluding milks) are up 20 percent over last year. Plant-based milks are up 3.1 percent, while dairy milk sales declined 5 percent over the same period.
On Monday, PBFA announced that Campbell Soup Company joined the association. The company makes Bolthouse Farms Plant Protein Milk.
Many of PBFA members are small businesses. PBFA members joining the Lobby Day to meet with their representatives (and available for interview) include:
- Good Karma Foods, CEO Doug Radi, incoming board member (flax milk, yogurt)
- MALK Organics, Founder and CEO August Vega (nut milks, based in Texas)
- New Barn, Chief Strategy Officer Billie Thein (almond milk, based in California)
- OATLY, General Manager Mike Messersmith, (oat milk, company based in New York, with oats from Minnesota)
PBFA board member Miyoko Schinner could not make the lobby day but made this one-minute video about why she wants Congress to reject the measure.
Source: Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA)