Estonian Oat Milk Brand YOOK Targets Asia and the Middle East with a Focus on Purity, Nutrition, and Taste
- PYD
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
Estonian oat milk brand YOOK is making a bold international push, promoting its “purer, more nutritious, and better-tasting” formula to win over consumers in Asia and the Gulf region. Its flagship Organic Oat Drink won the 2024 Gulfood Innovation Award for Best Health and Wellness Product, marking a strong start to its global journey.
Insights & Strategic Moves:
Market Focus: Asia and GCC: YOOK launched in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in February 2024 and made its global debut at Gulfood in Dubai. The brand is actively seeking distribution and brand-building partners in Asia (especially South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore) and the Middle East.
Mainstream FMCG Strategy: CEO Katre Kõvask notes that plant-based drinks are no longer niche—so oat milk needs to match the speed and standards of any fast-moving consumer good (FMCG). YOOK’s current lineup includes Vitamins & Calcium Oat Drink, Barista Oat Drink, and Organic Oat Drink. Two new flavours—Chocolate and Mango—will launch in May, targeting younger Asian consumers.
Single-Grain Focus: YOOK is fully focused on oats—excluding soy and nuts to keep allergens out of its facility and support its zero-carbon ambitions. The factory uses solar energy and converts manufacturing waste into biofuel, reinforcing its sustainability credentials.
Flexible Manufacturing Outlook: All products are currently made in Estonia, but YOOK is open to building factories abroad or offering private label production to better meet local customer needs.
Outperforming Local Competitors: Despite being a new player, YOOK is already gaining share in the Baltic market. The Barista variant is tailored for HoReCa channels, offering smooth flavour and excellent foam stability, enriched with vitamins B2, B12, D2, and calcium. It's gluten-free, lactose-free, and contains no added sugar.
Taste as a Differentiator: In a saturated oat milk market, YOOK is betting big on superior flavour. Kõvask emphasises that for food, “taste is everything,” and YOOK has invested heavily—working with food scientists to perfect texture and flavour. Awards from Gulfood and the International Taste Institute back up this claim.
With a global vision, flexible supply strategy, and clear product focus, YOOK is positioning itself as a differentiated oat milk brand. Its goal as a market latecomer is to win through taste, sustainability, and agility.
YOOK is carving out a niche in the competitive plant-based space—leveraging purity, nutrition, and flavour to enter Asia and the Middle East on a strong growth path.
Comments