Silk

What Silk does

Silk is a US plant-based food and beverage brand founded in 1977, currently operating as a wholly owned brand under Danone North America (itself a subsidiary of France-based Danone S.A.). Silk manufactures and distributes a portfolio of dairy-alternative products across three core categories: plant-based beverages (almondmilk, oatmilk, soymilk, coconutmilk, cashewmilk, and the premium Silk Protein line), coffee creamers (almond, oat, soy bases plus Cold Foam aerosol and Half & Half alternatives), and dairy-free yogurt alternatives (almond, soy, and Greek-style coconut variants). Production relies on ultra-high temperature pasteurization, proprietary almond roasting and precision grinding (across mission, caramel, and nonpareil varietals), and multi-nutrient fortification delivering calcium, vitamin D, B12, A, and E. The brand holds Non-GMO Project Verification across all products, B Corp certification (since 2018), Kosher OU-D, and USDA Organic (on select SKUs), positioning itself in the premium health-and-sustainability segment of the dairy-alternative category.

Silk's business model is consumer goods retail: products are sold through major US grocery chains, warehouse clubs (notably an exclusive Costco arrangement for Silk Organic Almondmilk 3-pack half-gallons), and e-commerce platforms, with the brand also operating in Canada through Silk Canada. The go-to-market combines broad mainstream retail distribution with content marketing (recipe library, sustainability storytelling), retailer-facing product locator tools, and selective sports marketing (WNBA athlete partnerships promoting Silk Protein at March Madness and Big Ten tournaments). Customer segments span health-conscious general consumers, families with children (via Silk Kids developed with pediatricians), and fitness-oriented consumers (via Silk Protein positioned for athletic recovery). Silk does not disclose standalone revenue and operates without venture or private equity capital of its own, executing as a strategic brand within Danone North America's broader plant-based portfolio.

Pricing follows standard CPG unit economics with premium SKUs (Silk Protein at 13g complete plant protein, Cold Foam Creamer) commanding higher price points than base beverage lines. The company maintains sustainability partnerships that double as brand-equity assets: Change the Course/Bonneville Environmental Foundation (over 11.6 billion gallons of water restored since 2009), family-owned California almond orchards supporting 1,700+ acres of pollinator habitat, and Pollinator Partnership. Manufacturing uses 100% renewable electricity at owned facilities per company disclosure. Silk is operationally active and expanding its product surface and geographic reach, with the most recent documented international expansion being the Canadian launch of Silk high-protein soy milk in 2026.

Name

Silk

Legal name

Silk (Brand of Danone North America)

Website

https://silk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Silk is a US plant-based food and beverage brand owned by Danone North America, producing almondmilk, oatmilk, soymilk, coconutmilk, cashewmilk, creamers, and yogurt alternatives for health-conscious consumers, families, and athletes through major grocery, warehouse club, and e-commerce channels in the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Beverages and Dairy Alternatives

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant-Based Milk & Creamer Processing (Oat, Soy, Almond, Coconut, Blends) (AFAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant-Based Yogurt Drinks & Cultured Alternatives (AFAFAEAG), Plant-Based Ready-to-Drink Dairy-Alternative Beverages (Protein Shakes, Flavored RTD) (AFAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Plant-based beverages
• Dairy alternatives
• Almondmilk products
• Plant-based creamers
• Dairy-free yogurt

Headquarters

HQ city

Broomfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Plant-Based Beverage Sales: Silk generates revenue through sales of its core plant-based beverage products including almondmilk, oatmilk, soymilk, coconutmilk, and cashewmilk in refrigerated and shelf-stable formats. Products are sold through retail grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and online channels.
2. Plant-Based Dairy Alternative Sales: Revenue from creamers (cold foam, almond, oat, soy varieties) and dairy-free yogurt alternatives (almondmilk, soymilk, Greek style coconut). Premium products like Silk Protein command higher price points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Silk manufactures and sells plant-based beverages (almondmilk, oatmilk, soymilk, coconutmilk, cashewmilk, and Silk Protein), plant-based coffee creamers (almond, oat, soy bases, plus Cold Foam and Half & Half alternatives), and dairy-free yogurt alternatives (almond, soy, and Greek-style coconut). Products are made using ultra-high temperature pasteurization, almond roasting and grinding processes, and are fortified with five essential nutrients.

Product overview

Silk is a plant-based food and beverage company offering a diverse portfolio of dairy alternatives under the Danone North America umbrella. The product portfolio comprises three main categories: (1) Plant-based Beverages including Almondmilk, Oatmilk, Soymilk, Coconutmilk, Cashewmilk, and the premium Silk Protein line; (2) Coffee Creamers in almond, oat, and soy bases plus specialized Cold Foam Creamer and Half & Half Alternative; (3) Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternatives in almond, soy, and Greek-style coconut varieties. The company positions its Original Soymilk as the 'Original Nutrition Powerhouse' most comparable to dairy, while Silk Protein targets fitness-conscious consumers with 13g complete plant protein per serving. Silk Kids targets children with pediatricians-developed nutrition including DHA and prebiotics. All products emphasize 5 essential nutrients (Calcium, Vitamin D, B12, A, E), Non-GMO verification, and dairy-free/gluten-free attributes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Silk Protein (Original) Plant-based protein beverage with 13g complete plant protein, 3g dietary fiber, and 50% less sugar than dairy milk per serving. Positioned as the highest protein content among refrigerated plant-based milks, for fitness-conscious and health-focused consumers.
• Silk Protein (Chocolate) Chocolate-flavored plant-based protein beverage with 13g complete plant protein per serving and 50% less sugar than chocolate dairy milk, for consumers seeking flavored high-protein dairy alternatives.
• Silk Kids (Pea & Oatmilk Blend) Nutrition beverage for children developed with pediatricians, containing 8g protein, DHA, prebiotics, and key vitamins and minerals, with 50% less sugar than dairy milk. For parents seeking nutritious plant-based beverages for children.
• Silk Unsweet Almondmilk Unsweetened almond-based beverage with 30 calories per serving, 50% more calcium than dairy milk, and 5 essential nutrients, free from dairy, gluten, carrageenan, and artificial flavors. For health-conscious consumers.
• Silk Original Soymilk Original soy-based beverage made from whole-harvested U.S. and Canada soybeans with 8g protein and 5 essential nutrients, positioned as the most nutritionally comparable to dairy milk among Silk products.
• Silk Original Oatmilk Oat-based beverage providing creaminess for morning coffee with 5 essential nutrients, made with oat concentrate and sunflower oil. For consumers seeking dairy-free coffee and cereal use.
• Silk Unsweet Coconutmilk Unsweetened coconut-based beverage with 40 calories per serving, 50% more calcium than dairy milk, and 5 essential nutrients. Suitable for cooking applications from sauces to sweets.
• Silk Unsweet Cashewmilk Unsweetened cashew-based beverage with only 25 calories per serving and 5 essential nutrients, suitable for baking applications.
• Silk Creamers (Almond, Oat, Soy) Plant-based coffee creamers in multiple varieties including Vanilla Almond, Sweet & Creamy Almond, Caramel Almond, Crème Brulee Almond, Vanilla Oat, Oatmeal Cookie Oat, Maple Brown Sugar Oat, and Cinnamon Caramel Oat Cold Foam. Free of dairy, carrageenan, gluten, and artificial flavors.
• Silk Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative Dairy-free yogurt alternative in multiple flavors with live and active cultures, at least 4g plant protein per serving. For consumers seeking dairy-free yogurt options.
• Silk Soymilk Yogurt Alternative Dairy-free soy-based yogurt alternative with 6g complete protein per serving, live and active cultures, and good source of calcium.
• Silk Greek Style Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative Greek-style coconut-based yogurt alternative with 10g plant-powered protein per serving, available in Vanilla, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Lemon flavors. Certified vegan and gluten-free.
• Silk Cold Foam Creamer Pressurized cold foam creamer that foams and creams hot or cold coffee with rich caramel flavor in aerosol format.
• Silk Dairy-Free Half & Half Alternative Half oatmilk and half coconutmilk blend with 0g sugar per serving, keto-friendly, and free from dairy, gluten, and carrageenan.
• Silk Vanilla Soy Creamer Vanilla-flavored plant-based coffee creamer with 0g saturated fat, no artificial sweeteners, free of dairy, lactose, gluten, casein, egg, peanut, MSG, and artificial colors.
• Silk Shelf-Stable Original Soymilk Refrigeration-free soymilk in shelf-stable packaging with 8g protein per serving, designed for pantry storage without refrigeration.
• Silk High-Protein Soy Milk (Canada) High-protein plant-based soy milk launched in Canada as part of the Silk Protein line, extending the brand's protein beverage offering into international markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 56% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to dairy milk per half gallon
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Change the Course / Bonneville Environmental FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Silk is a charter sponsor of Change the Course, a Bonneville Environmental Foundation program. Over the last 14+ years, this partnership has supported more than 30 restoration projects helping to restore over 11.6 billion gallons of water to freshwater ecosystems, including the Colorado River basin.
• Family-Owned Almond OrchardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilk partners with family-owned almond orchards in California that follow Bee Friendly farming practices or Bee Better certifications. These partnerships support planting or maintaining more than 1,700 acres of flowering native California plants to support bees, pollinators, songbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
• Pollinator PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanone (parent company) supports Pollinator Partnership to promote healthy pollinator habits across farms in California, supporting broader ecosystem health beyond direct supply chain.
• PediatricianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilk Kids products were developed with pediatricians to deliver appropriate nutrition for growing children including DHA, prebiotics, and key vitamins and minerals that children need.
• Aerial Powers (WNBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWNBA player Aerial Powers partnered with Silk Protein for the brand's Power Assist campaign, promoting the plant-based protein beverage during March Madness positioning the product as essential for athletic recovery and longevity.
• Monique Billings (WNBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional basketball star Monique Billings partnered with Silk for marketing activations promoting Silk Protein plant-based beverage at Big Ten Basketball Tournaments in Chicago and Indianapolis, including smoothie demonstrations and product tastings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oatly: Swedish oatmilk pioneer and category leader in the fastest-growing plant-based milk segment. Directly competes with Silk's oatmilk line and is a primary threat in the foodservice channel (notably the Starbucks exclusive that previously displaced dairy defaulting).
• Blue Diamond Growers (Almond Breeze): Cooperative-owned almondmilk brand and Silk's most direct competitor in the refrigerated almond segment, with deep almond sourcing advantage as the largest almond processor globally.
• Califia Farms: California-based plant-based beverage brand spanning almondmilk, oatmilk, creamers, and barista formulations. Directly overlaps Silk's portfolio with a stronger foodservice/barista positioning.
• Ripple Foods: Pea-protein-based plant milk targeting the high-protein use case Silk Protein also pursues. Competes head-on in refrigerated format with comparable protein positioning.

Emerging players

• Elmhurst 1925: Plant-based milk brand focused on nut and grain bases (cashew, almond, oat, hemp) with a premium, clean-label positioning. Direct portfolio overlap with Silk's multi-base approach.
• Good Karma Foods: Flaxmilk-based plant beverages and creamers. Niche player competing in the dairy-alternative space with similar Non-GMO, allergen-free certifications as Silk.
• Forager Project: Plant-based yogurts, milks, and creamers with an organic, sustainability-led brand positioning. Overlaps Silk's yogurt alternative category and clean-label positioning.
• Kite Hill: Almond-based yogurt and cheese alternatives with premium natural-channel positioning. Directly competes with Silk's almondmilk yogurt alternative line at Whole Foods and natural food retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Chobani: Major US yogurt and dairy-alternative incumbent (including Chobani Oat and plant-based creamers). Competes across Silk's yogurt and creamer categories with much broader distribution scale.

Others

• Danone North America (Alpro / parent): Silk's parent and the operating unit managing Silk alongside other plant-based brands. Functions as both corporate parent and a platform-level peer for benchmarking brand economics and category strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lovemysilk
• Facebookfacebook.com/SilkUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elahi-silk-export

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silk