São Paulo – Brazilian entrepreneur Maria Eduarda Becker is tapping into the plant-based beverage market and will distribute to four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. She is the founder of United Arab Emirates-based coffee brand Três Marias, and she has recently launched a plant-based milk line.
Becker aims to break into this blooming segment in the UAE. “We’ve developed the product step by step. It took two years to find a supplier with the potential to grow with us, as this is still an untapped sector in the region,” she told ANBA.
The plant-based milk market is expected to reach the value of USD 123.20 billion by 2029, according to research firm Data Bridge Market Research. Três Marias is already selling the plant milk line in the UAE and is expected to start shipping to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman soon.
At first the line will focus on B2B, catering to food services like hotels, restaurants and coffee shops. “By late September, we expect to be all across the GCC,” she said. The plan is to start with the oat, soy and almond milks. “In December we’ll add the coconut beverage. And then there’s more to come,” she said.
Sustainability as a pillar
Becker explains that the product creation was not just chance. “One of the Três Marias’ pillars is sustainability. Plant milk came to my mind as it is a product that has grown — a market that has grown — since it has a more sustainable footprint. And on top of the carbon footprint, people have been more conscious. In the coffee industry I’ve seen with my own eyes big companies that started small,” she said.
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In parallel to the company’s sustainable path, she added that many people have come to understand that they are lactose intolerant and have sought for alternatives for a better quality of life.
Despite not having a permanent address, Três Marias operates in Dubai’s seasonal Ripe Market, where it has gotten feedback from consumers and tested new strategies to encourage plant milk consumption. “In our first year, we made plant milk beverages at no extra cost. And next year we want to develop a sustainable coffeeshop with only plant milk.”
Steaming
To get to the formula, Três Marias reached out to a partner plant in Europe aiming to reach a product that catered to both ordinary consumers and baristas. “We’ve developed recipes. I understand it’s frustrating for a barista to not have the option to serve quality beverages with plant milk. Since you can’t properly heat the milk, it’s quite frustrating as it’ll not be a quality beverage,” she said.
After much testing, the businesswoman got satisfied with the final line that can be heated. “We managed to properly steam them, so the barista can make latte art, which is part of the visual presentation. Many people contributed with efforts and dedication. Unifying the communication was a challenge, but our 12-year experience in the coffee industry brought us the assistance of baristas from Dubai and Europe alike,” she said.
In addition to businesswoman and barista, Becker is a certified sensory judge for national and international barista competitions. Her expertise also added to her willingness to invest in other quality products besides coffee. The brand aims to manufacture its other products, like sugar-free candies and cakes and popsicles, with plant milks based on coconut and others.
The businesswoman now has other plans that include some operations in Brazil. The design process involved in the milk launch was developed by a Brazilian team based in Rio Grande do Sul. “It’s a business but it’s much more than that – it’s my passion. I’ve dedicated my life to it. Everything in the company goes through me, including the plant milk project,” she finished.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
