Nestlé's Milk free Milo bets big on plant-based food in Asia

Milo chocolate milk has been hugely popular in Southeast Asia for decades. Now the breakfast and teatime favorite is about to get shaken up — the cocoa powder will be offered as a dairy-free, ready-made beverage.

The product is one of Nestlé's newest plant-based inventions, and it will be launched in the region this week, Starting Thursday, the drink will hit supermarkets in Malaysia, and the Swiss multinational plans to sell it in other countries soon. (The company already offers plant-based Milo in Australia and New Zealand, but in the traditional powder form.)"We are all about giving choices," Juan Aranols, Nestlé's Malaysia and Singapore chief, said in an interview.

"We felt that with this growing interest for plant-based products, why not give the Milo taste everybody loves in a solution that is plant-based?" Traditionally, Milo is made of cocoa, malt extract, and skimmed milk, while the plant-based version swaps out milk powder for soy and oats. The move is the latest example of businesses taking the plant-based trend to Asia.