Aussie shoppers rated Farmers Union number one in Canstar Blue’s flavoured milk ratings, giving the brand five-star reviews across the board. This includes for taste, value for money, consistency, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction.
Flavoured milk isn’t just for kids’ lunch boxes. It also makes a sweet substitute for a cup of morning coffee or plain milk and can even help support bone health. In fact, one in five respondents to our survey (19%) drink flavoured milk to help increase their calcium intake, while a third (30%) simply drink it because they prefer iced coffee over a hot cuppa. But what’s the best brand to chug down? Canstar Blue compares the top flavoured milk brands on the market, to discover the cream of the crop.
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,287 Australians for their feedback on the flavoured milk brand(s) they’ve purchased and consumed in the last three months.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their flavoured milk brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Farmers Union was the cream of the crop in our ratings, scoring a win in every research category, including for taste, value for money, consistency, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction. Vitasoy was the only other brand to score a five-star review, namely for value for money.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
An absolute classic in the flavoured milk game, Farmers Union has been gracing Australian palates since 1977. Farmers Union specialises in iced coffee, which is currently the only flavoured milk available from the brand. You can find Farmers Union iced coffee at most major supermarkets, petrol stations and convenience stores for around $2.95 for a 600ml carton or $5 for a 2L bottle. Other products from Farmers Union include Greek yoghurt, flavoured yoghurts, and a variety of probiotic yoghurts.
Flavoured milk is not healthier than plain milk, since it’s usually packed with high amounts of sugar and sweeteners. Although, it can still be enjoyed in moderation. Dairy Australia even claims that flavoured milk has the same nutrients and health benefits as regular milk, and can help some people meet their daily dairy intake. Flavoured milk is also healthier than soft drinks and fruit drinks, but it’s important to check the sugar levels of each product and be aware of portion sizes. A large percentage of respondents (40%) said they usually bought milk in 500ml cartons. Keep in mind that one serve of flavoured milk is 250ml.
Our survey showed about one in four consumers (27%) worry about the sugar content in flavoured milk while over a third (34%) are conscious about the sugar content. It seems flavour is a motivator though, as 12% of shoppers admit they buy the largest bottle of flavoured milk available.
Megan is Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Editor, leading the team that focuses on consumer products and services, ranging from supermarkets and groceries to home and personal appliances and retail stores. She interprets Canstar Blue’s bespoke research on the thousands of brands that we compare, rate and review, to help shoppers make better purchasing decisions.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Here is the previous winner from Canstar Blue’s flavoured milk ratings:
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