Frequently Asked Questions

The plant and dairy range of MILKLAB barista milks are made for espresso, so the right one comes down to the cup you are building or if you have any health or lifestyle requirements. Almond is light and nutty. Oat is the creamiest and has the most similar texture to dairy of the plant-based range. Soy carries the most protein at 7.5g per serve, which helps foam the milk texture and stretch exceptionally. Coconut and Macadamia sit lighter and sweeter and offer different flavour profiles to the cup.

MILKLAB also makes a range of dairy milks made for coffee: Full Cream Dairy Milk, and Lactose Free for those who love the taste of dairy but are intolerant.

Each one is formulated to pair with the flavours of espresso, but offers a different flavour and texture profile. Almond is nutty and light. Oat is creamy with a natural sweetness and the closest plant-based match to dairy. Soy is the highest-protein plant-based option, with 7.5 g in a 250mL serve. Coconut brings a tropical sweetness. Macadamia is the lightest, at 125 kJ per 100mL. Lactose Free and Full Cream Dairy Milk are Australian dairy milks made for the same job, with Lactose Free for those who love the taste of dairy but are intolerant.

The entire MILKLAB range is formulated to texture and stretch like full cream dairy. Barista milk textures, stretches and retains its silky smooth mouthfeel at high temperatures, and is specifically formulated not to split or curdle when mixed with espresso coffee. Its flavour profile is made to complement and elevate coffee without dominating its aromatic flavours.

Protein does most of the work in the jug, so Lactose Free at 4.0 g per 100mL, Full Cream at 3.3 g and Soy at 3.0 g hold the tightest microfoam. Almond, Oat, Coconut and Macadamia texture reliably and reward starting from a properly chilled pack. Read more in Barista Milk vs Normal Milk: What's the Difference? on The LAB.

Every MILKLAB milk is made to pour latte art, because the whole range textures and stretches like full cream dairy. Protein and fat build the microfoam that holds a pour, so Lactose Free, Full Cream and Soy give the most forgiving canvas. Almond, Oat, Coconut and Macadamia pour clean art with good technique and a cold start. Whichever you use, stretch to around 40°C, then take it to 55 to 60°C without letting in more air.

MILKLAB Oat is the closest plant-based match on creaminess and mouthfeel, which is why it is the usual first swap for dairy drinkers. If you want dairy without the lactose, MILKLAB Lactose Free is ultrafiltered Australian full cream milk with the lactose removed, so it tastes like dairy because it is dairy.

Every product in the MILKLAB range is formulated to pair well with matcha, chai and hot chocolate, so it comes down to preference. However we found MILKLAB Oat and Coconut to be popular with matcha, where creaminess balances the grassy notes. Chai suits Soy or Oat, both of which carry spice without competing with it. For hot chocolate, MILKLAB Macadamia, Full Cream or Lactose Free give the richest result. The range was built for the whole café menu, not just espresso.

For recipe ideas, head to the Recipes section on The LAB.

MILKLAB is a barista milk, formulated specifically for espresso-based coffee. It textures, stretches and retains its silky smooth mouthfeel at high temperatures, and it is made not to split or curdle when mixed with espresso, which is what lets a barista pour properly. A regular long-life or drinking milk is made to taste good straight from the fridge, not to hold up under steam, so it can split, thin out or fail to hold foam in the jug. Read more in Barista Milk vs Normal Milk: What's the Difference? on The LAB.

No. MILKLAB is built for coffee, with the balance of fat and protein needed to texture and stretch under steam and sit well against espresso. Everyday drinking milks are formulated to taste good straight from the fridge, not to hold up under steam, which is why they can split or thin out when used in coffee. MILKLAB works on cereal too, but that is not what it was designed around.

MILKLAB is 100% owned and made in Australia by Noumi Limited, an Australian food and beverage company. The plant-based range is produced in Ingleburn, in New South Wales, and the dairy range in Shepparton, Victoria.

Yes. MILKLAB is 100% made and owned in Australia by Noumi Limited, an Australian company.

MILKLAB began in 2015 when we offered our first range-solution of premium alternative milks to the hospitality industry. Our goal was then, and still is now, to elevate the café coffee experience for baristas and consumers alike with a range of high performance, barista milks.

MILKLAB is the number one barista plant milk brand in Australian cafés, based on a Tracksuit survey of approximately 7,700 Australian consumers in  September 2026 comparing MILKLAB with four or more competitor brands. MILKLAB is also the leading ranged barista almond milk in Australian cafés and Australian supermarkets.

Source: Circana (AU) Pty Ltd, AU Grocery Scan, Barista Almond Milk, Value Sales, MAT 02/11/25

MILKLAB was created because coffee deserved better milk. Standard plant-based and dairy milks were not built to texture under steam or to sit well against espresso, so MILKLAB worked with baristas, roasters and food technologists to make a range of plant and dairy milks that do both. Every product is tested and refined for taste, texture and performance.

Cafés order MILKLAB through foodservice distributors across Australia. Contact your local or preferred distributor to start ranging it. Don't have a distributor? Get in touch through the MILKLAB contact form and the sales team will point you to one. Home baristas can find MILKLAB at Coles and Woolworths, or order online through Amazon Australia for delivery.

Yes. MILKLAB Home Barista Edition is stocked at Coles and Woolworths in Australia. It is made for the home barista looking for a café quality coffee at home, and made for the same job as the café range. Availability varies by store and by product, so check with your local supermarket.

Yes. MILKLAB is available through Amazon Australia, and both Coles and Woolworths offer online ordering and delivery. MILKLAB does not sell milk directly through this website. MILKLAB merchandise, including jugs and apparel, is available through the MILKLAB Merch Store.

MILKLAB comes in 1L cartons across the range. MILKLAB Almond and Oat are also made as 250mL Minis, which were named Best Australian Manufactured Product at the 2024 Naturally Good Awards.

MILKLAB is available in a number of international markets. Distributors who want to sell MILKLAB, and cafés who want to range it, can share their details through the MILKLAB contact form and the sales team will follow up directly.

The MILKLAB range of barista plant-based milks are suitable for vegans and vegetarians, which covers Almond, Oat, Soy, Coconut and Macadamia. Full Cream Dairy Milk and Lactose Free are dairy milks, so they are not vegan, though both are suitable for lacto-vegetarians.

The MILKLAB range of plant-based milks are dairy free. Almond, Oat, Soy, Coconut and Macadamia contain no milk. Full Cream Dairy Milk and Lactose Free are dairy.

MILKLAB Almond, Soy, Coconut, Macadamia, Full Cream and Lactose Free are gluten free. MILKLAB Oat is made from 100% Australian oats and carries a Contains Gluten declaration, along with an advisory that gluten from wheat, and lupin, may be present.

MILKLAB Almond contains almonds and MILKLAB Macadamia contains macadamias, both of which are tree nuts. Oat, Soy, Coconut, Full Cream and Lactose Free do not contain tree nuts as ingredients. If you have a severe allergy, always check the pack, as formulations and manufacturing conditions can change.

Yes. Every product in the MILKLAB range is halal and kosher certified, which covers Almond, Oat, Soy, Coconut, Macadamia, Lactose Free and Full Cream. Halal certification is held through recognised Australian authorities and kosher certification through Kosher Australia.

MILKLAB Lactose Free is made with Australian full cream dairy milk, ultrafiltered and treated with lactase so that no lactose is detected. The whole plant-based range is also free of lactose, because none of those products contain dairy. MILKLAB Full Cream Dairy Milk does contain lactose.

It varies by product. MILKLAB Oat has no added sugar; its 2.3 g of sugar per 100mL is naturally derived from oats. Almond and Macadamia contain 1.5% sugar, Soy contains 2% cane sugar and Coconut 2% raw sugar. Full Cream Dairy Milk carries a free from added sugar claim.

Most of the range is. MILKLAB Oat, Macadamia, Full Cream and Lactose Free provide 120 mg of calcium per 100mL, and Soy provides calcium alongside phosphorus and potassium. The Home Barista Edition of MILKLAB Almond and Coconut is calcium fortified; the café formulation of Almond is not. Calcium content differs between the café and Home Barista formulations on some products, so check the pack for the one you have.

No. Every product in the MILKLAB range is free from artificial colours, artificial flavours and preservatives.

No. MILKLAB is ultra heat treated (UHT) and aseptically packed, so unopened cartons are shelf stable and do not need refrigeration. Our products are formulated to have a 365-day shelf life, but check your pack for the exact expiry date. Store below 30°C, out of direct sunlight, in a cool dry place. Chilling before use is still worth doing, because cold milk textures better.

Five days. Once opened, keep MILKLAB refrigerated below 4°C and use it within five days. This is the same across every product in the range. Unopened, MILKLAB has a 365-day shelf life; check your pack for the exact expiry date.

No. Freezing causes MILKLAB to separate irregularly, and neither the texture nor the consistency recovers on thawing. Keep unopened cartons in a cool dry place, and refrigerate once opened.

MILKLAB is preserved by ultra heat treatment and filled into sterile cartons, which is what gives it a 365-day shelf life with no refrigeration until it is opened. For a café it means stock can be held at ambient temperature. At home it means a spare carton in the cupboard.

Separation usually points to storage above 30°C for a sustained period, exposure to direct sunlight, or a carton that has been frozen at some point. Give an unopened carton a gentle shake before use. If a carton is within date, correctly stored and still separated, contact MILKLAB through the contact form with the batch code from the pack.

MILKLAB Almond uses 100% Australian almonds, primarily grown in north western Victoria. MILKLAB Oat uses 100% Australian oats from growers across Victoria and South Australia. MILKLAB Macadamia uses 100% Australian macadamias, and both dairy products are made with 100% fresh Australian dairy milk from NSW and VIC farmers.

MILKLAB cartons in Australia carry a Check Locally rating under the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) program, so whether they can be recycled comes down to what your council can process. Check arl.org.au or your local council's website to see what is available where you live.

MILKLAB is committed to implementing sustainable practices in its products, its processes and its packaging. MILKLAB is 100% made in Australia, at facilities in Shepparton, VIC and Ingleburn, NSW, and sourcing is prioritised within Australia before looking further afield. Growers and farmers are chosen for their care for the planet, from almond growers using bee-protective practices to dairy farmers committed to the humane animal treatment. Read more on the About Us page.

Yes. MILKLAB almonds are primarily grown in bee-friendly orchards, with practices in place to protect hive health alongside the crop. Growers also work with tightly managed, sustainable water sources.

MILKLAB is supplied to cafés through foodservice distributors across Australia. Contact your local or preferred distributor to add MILKLAB to your next order. If you are not sure who covers your area, share your details through the MILKLAB contact form and the sales team will point you in the right direction.

MILKLAB merchandise, including jugs and apparel, is available through the MILKLAB Merch Store. For point of sale material and café support, speak to your local MILKLAB rep or distributor. If you are not sure who your local rep is, get in touch through the MILKLAB contact form.

Wholesale, distribution and international enquiries all go through the MILKLAB contact form. Share your details and the enquiry goes to the sales team, who will be in touch to talk through ranging, volumes and delivery.