Ripple Foods takes toddler milk into Walmart with pea protein launch

Ripple Foods has expanded its plant-based milk portfolio into toddler nutrition, launching a pea protein-based product exclusively through Walmart stores across the USA.

The Berkeley, California-based company has introduced Ripple Toddler Plant-Based Milk in Original and Unsweetened Original varieties, with each 8 fl oz carton providing 8g of pea protein alongside DHA omega-3s, choline, prebiotic fiber and calcium.

The shelf-stable products are being sold in four-packs at an MSRP of US$8.96 and have been placed in Walmart's Baby Aisle rather than alongside conventional plant-based milks.

• Ripple Foods has launched a shelf-stable plant-based milk specifically formulated for children aged 12-36 months, using pea protein alongside DHA, choline, calcium and prebiotic fiber.
• The new product delivers 8g of pea protein per 8 fl oz carton and is free from the nine major allergens, including dairy, nuts and soy.
• Original and Unsweetened Original varieties are available exclusively through Walmart nationwide, with four-packs priced at US$8.96 and stocked in the retailer's Baby Aisle.

The launch extends Ripple's presence in children's nutrition beyond its existing Ripple Kids range, moving the company into products formulated specifically for the transition into toddlerhood.

Ripple said each carton provides 60% of a toddler's daily calcium needs, as well as DHA omega-3s and choline to support brain development and prebiotic fiber for digestion. The product is dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, lactose-free and gluten-free, as well as vegan.

"We've seen how strongly Ripple Kids resonates with families looking for protein-forward, allergen-friendly nutrition," said Becky O'Grady, CEO of Ripple Foods. "Ripple Toddler allows us to support families even earlier, with nutrition designed for this important stage and a shelf-stable format that can go wherever their day takes them."

Convenience is another part of the proposition. The cartons do not require refrigeration until opened, allowing them to be packed for daycare, travel or meals away from home.

Ripple's decision to launch the range in Walmart's Baby Aisle also gives the product a different retail context from many plant-based dairy alternatives. Rather than competing primarily for attention in the conventional milk or dairy-alternative fixture, Ripple Toddler sits alongside products bought by parents for children moving into the next stage of nutrition.

The formulation centers on yellow pea protein, the ingredient platform Ripple has used across its wider portfolio of plant-based milks and protein shakes. The company also produces plant-based half & half.

Toddler nutrition gives Ripple another application for that protein base, while targeting parents seeking dairy-free or allergen-friendly alternatives. The product is made without the nine major food allergens identified in the USA.

The new range comes in individual 8 fl oz cartons, compared with the larger refrigerated formats more commonly associated with plant-based milk. Ripple said the format was developed around family routines and portability as well as nutritional requirements.

Its nutritional profile is also intended to differentiate the product from plant-based beverages that may contain relatively little protein. Each carton provides the same stated 8g protein serving highlighted across several of Ripple's existing pea-based products.

The launch builds on the company's established focus on families and children's nutrition. Ripple Kids was developed as a plant-based milk with a nutritional profile aimed at children, while the new Toddler line narrows the target age to 12-36 months.

For Walmart, the exclusive launch adds a plant-based option to a part of the store where parents are already shopping for age-specific nutrition. The products are available through Walmart stores nationwide and online.

Ripple was founded around the use of yellow peas as the protein source for dairy alternatives. Its portfolio now spans plant-based milk, children's products, protein shakes and cream alternatives, with products made without nuts, lactose or soy.

Ripple Toddler Plant-Based Milk is available now in Original and Unsweetened Original varieties.

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