Shaking up the world of dairy free milks
ReRooted was started two years ago here in Totnes, with a simple idea – to create organic, dairy-free milks without the waste. The business was initially set up to just provide plant milks to the local zero waste shop. However, over the two years since they began, they have grown and now supply over 100 cafes and shops ranging across Devon, Bristol, Bath and Cornwall. In addition to this they also have over 300 subscribers for doorstep delivery, via their fully electric delivery van, Sylvia.
The ReRooted range, all stocked in Greenlife’s fridges, now features Almond, Coconut, Oat and Oat Barista plant milks. Glass bottles can be returned to our store and are collected by ReRooted to be used again and again.
ReRooted are committed to rewriting the book on sustainable business. Recycling saves energy and resources and is obviously a step forward, but truly sustainable industry surely relies on going further still. Why not make your packaging entirely reusable? A recyclable carton is still less energy efficient than an infinitely (or at least greatly) reusable glass bottle?
Of course, the model of having ‘milk’ delivered to your doorstep in reusable containers is not a new one. Many of us will remember getting milk delivered to the door, but we may be surprised to learn that in fact, glass milk bottles first appeared on the scene at the end of the nineteenth century and came about due to the desire for literal transparency – to show the product inside.
And transparency is exactly what ReRooted are all about. They tell us that despite growing at an unprecedented rate, their values and ethos are just as strong as when they first dreamt up the idea… organic, dairy-free and no waste. Just as supermarkets and their customers have started to accept and welcome wonky vegetables, their hope is to shake up our ideas of how plant milks look by supplying them in their natural state. Unlike cows’ milk, that has a perfectly white appearance, ReRooted plant milks vary in shade, and separation naturally occurs between the ingredients used (such as water/dates/almonds). If this happens, all you need to do is to shake them up!
Production – the ReRooted route
ReRooted use only renewable energy in their production facilities, employ electric vehicles, and support organic farming. They source their raw materials as locally as they can. Bulk ingredients are bought from organic workers co-operatives, ensuring that they get the best quality ingredients and are doing business with ethical suppliers. Where needed, the main ingredient is soaked for at least 8 hours, in the case of raw almonds; this activates them, making their nutrients more bio-available as well as releasing some of the phytic acid. Ingredients are then blended and cold pressed to preserve the nutrients in them. The finished plant milk is then gently pasteurized at 63.5°C. This temperature is hot enough to extend the drink’s shelf life by a few days, whilst being cool enough to protect the nutrients naturally contained in them. This is in sharp contrast to all commercial plant milks currently available on the market, which are all processed with UHT (at 130°C).
Keeping it real
ReRooted use no additives or preservatives, just real ingredients such as triple filtered water, rice, hemp seeds, salt, dates etc. They also use a much higher proportion of the ‘main’ ingredient in their plant milks than any other brands on the market. For example, many almond milks use 1% almonds (whereas ReRooted use 8%), coconut milk is often only 4% coconut (whereas ReRooted coconut milk is 20%). Does this make a difference? We think so, yes. The end result of the ReRooted production method is absolutely delicious vegan, organic plant milk. Only it’s not the end result really…because that empty bottle of yours can be returned to us in store, and ReRooted will pick it up to be used again. A simple idea. But one that fits into a better future for our planet, one that means moving away from a linear economy towards a circular economy – building things to last and be used time after time.
ReRooted are a proud member of 1% for the planet and have committed to donating 1% of their turnover to a different environmental organization every year.
ReRooted are fully certified by the Organic Soil Association.
