Why is rice milk suited to the F&B trends of 2026?
F&B context in late 2025 - early 2026: customers are changing how they choose beverages
As late 2025 approaches, the F&B market is witnessing clear changes in consumer behaviour. Customers are no longer choosing beverages simply because they are “trendy” or labelled plant-based, but are beginning to pay closer attention to the ingredient list, how they feel after consumption and the real value provided to the body. Trend reports show that consumers are shifting from “eating healthily based on intuition” to “eating healthily selectively”, with easy digestion and placing less burden on the body being given greater priority (1).
In this context, rice milk has emerged as a neutral, accessible option suitable for many different customer groups.
1. Rice milk suits the clean label trend and simplified ingredient lists
One of the most prominent F&B trends in 2026 is clean label. Consumers want to understand clearly what they are drinking and why it is good for them. According to studies on purchasing behaviour, consumers tend to avoid plant-based products containing too many additives, stabilisers or artificial flavourings (2).
Rice milk, when produced with a simple formula based on rice and water (or a minimally processed milk base), can easily meet this expectation. The message “easy-to-understand ingredients - naturally delicate taste” makes rice milk suitable for the transparent communications strategies that F&B brands are pursuing in 2026.
2. Healthy indulgence: enjoyable without feeling heavy
Global food trend reports indicate that consumers still want to enjoy beverages and desserts, but they want to feel “lighter” afterwards. The concept of healthy indulgence is therefore being emphasised: products should still taste good, but should not be cloying, overly rich or create a sense of guilt (3).
Rice milk has a clear advantage in this category thanks to its naturally gentle sweetness, low fat content and pleasant drinking experience. This provides a suitable base for light and refreshing beverages, desserts or gelato, which are becoming increasingly popular in cafés, restaurants and modern dessert concepts.
3. Its “versatility” makes rice milk easy to include in F&B menus
From an operational perspective, the fewer barriers an ingredient presents to users, the easier it is to implement in a menu. Rice milk is generally considered a plant-based milk that is less likely to cause allergies than nut milk, while also containing no lactose like cow’s milk. This makes rice milk suitable for a broader customer base, from people with lactose intolerance to those with sensitive digestive systems (4).
As F&B brands optimise their menus and reduce the risk of excess inventory, this versatility becomes a strategic advantage for rice milk.
4. Market data shows that rice milk still has room for growth
According to market research reports, the global plant-based milk category will continue to grow steadily during 2025-2030. Grand View Research and Mordor Intelligence both report that the plant-based milk market is worth more than 20 billion USD and will continue to expand in the coming years (5)(6).
For the rice milk segment specifically, IMARC Group estimates that the global market reached nearly 770 million USD in 2024 and will maintain positive growth in the following period (7). These figures show that rice milk is not a temporary trend, but a segment with genuine demand and long-term development potential.
5. Rice milk is easy to develop into concepts for new products and experiences
With its neutral flavour, rice milk combines easily with a wide range of ingredients, such as vanilla, matcha, cacao, cinnamon, tropical fruit or Asian flavours. This allows F&B brands to build concepts flexibly around seasons, regions or experiential narratives without making customers feel overly unfamiliar with them (8).
In desserts, rice milk is also suitable for developing gelato or dessert lines with a “light finish”, a trend that many brands, including Baby Boss, are considering when creating menus for 2026.
Conclusion
Rice milk suits the F&B trends of 2026 because it brings together several important factors: clean label, an enjoyable yet light experience, versatility for a wide range of customer groups and growth potential confirmed by market research organisations. When implemented with a transparent formula and clear positioning, rice milk can become a strategic ingredient for F&B brands seeking sustainable differentiation in the new phase.
Source notes:
(1) Mintel - Global Food & Drink Trends Report 2024–2025
Global F&B trend report analysing changes in consumer behaviour, clean label, and light and healthy beverage choices.
https://www.mintel.com/insights/food-and-drink/global-food-and-drink-trends/
(2) Euromonitor International - Clean Label & Ingredient Transparency
Analysis of the trend of consumers reading ingredient lists carefully, avoiding additives and prioritising transparent products.
https://www.euromonitor.com/clean-label-and-ingredient-transparency
(3) Barry Callebaut - Global Consumer Trends: Healthy Indulgence
Report on the “healthy indulgence” trend: consumers still eat dessert but prioritise options that are less rich, lighter and do not create a sense of guilt.
https://www.barry-callebaut.com/en/trends-insights/healthy-indulgence
(4) Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - Lactose Intolerance & Milk Alternatives
Academic source explaining lactose intolerance and the role of plant-based milk as an alternative.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/milk/
(5) Grand View Research - Plant-based Milk Market Size & Forecast
Report on the global plant-based milk market size, forecasting growth through 2030.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/plant-based-milk-market-report
(6) Mordor Intelligence - Plant-based Milk Market Analysis
Detailed analysis of the plant-based milk market, growth drivers and consumer trends.
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/plant-based-milk-market
(7) IMARC Group - Rice Milk Market: Global Industry Trends
Dedicated report on the rice milk market: size, growth and potential for 2025-2033.
https://www.imarcgroup.com/rice-milk-market
(8) FoodNavigator - Plant-based Innovation & Flavor Pairing Trends
In-depth analysis of plant-based product innovation, ingredient applications and flavour pairing trends in F&B.
https://www.foodnavigator.com/Trends/Plant-based
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