The Milky Wave

What The Milky Wave does

The Milky Wave is a privately held, bootstrapped direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand that formulates and ships handmade functional foods aimed at supporting breast milk supply in nursing mothers. Founded in 2018 by Liliya (Liliya Dik) in Illinois after her own postpartum supply challenges, the company has grown from an Etsy storefront to a Shopify-powered operation running from a single production kitchen at 1 Julie Lane, Riverwoods, IL. Its product portfolio centers on three core SKUs — Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies ($32), Lactation Tea ($29), and Lactation Smoothie Mix ($29) — plus four pre-configured bundles priced $49–$76, all built around organic, centuries-tested galactagogue ingredients (rolled oats, brewer's yeast, flaxseed, fenugreek, fennel, moringa, raspberry leaf, blessed thistle, stinging nettle) dosed at therapeutic levels rather than marketing sprinkles.

The products are baked or blended in small batches to order and shipped within two business days, predominantly free shipping across the United States. Founder Liliya retains direct oversight of production quality and customer service, including custom-order accommodations for dietary restrictions. The company emphasizes a clean-label, allergen-conscious positioning (no artificial ingredients; dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free options; USDA Organic certification across most ingredients) supported by an educational content library on lactation and postpartum nutrition and a community-driven Instagram presence under @breastfeed.themilkywave.

The business generates revenue primarily through one-time online purchases at $29–$76 per order, supplemented by a Subscribe & Save 15% recurring subscription option. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the company's own Shopify storefront with no retail, wholesale, or third-party marketplace presence; international shipping is unavailable but is publicly described as in development. As of the most recent disclosures, the company reports having served 968+ mothers with 281 five-star reviews and a 5.0 average rating, with no institutional funding, parent company, or subsidiary structure in place.

Name

The Milky Wave

Legal name

The Milky Wave

Website

https://themilkywave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Milky Wave is a bootstrapped, direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand selling handmade lactation cookies, herbal tea, and smoothie mixes formulated with natural galactagogue ingredients to support breast milk supply in nursing mothers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lactation / Postpartum Functional Foods

NAICS

Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Cookies & Crackers (2052), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Special-Diet & Functional Prepared Meals (Keto, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Medical) (CRAHAJAG)

Keywords

• Lactation support foods
• Breastfeeding nutrition products
• Postpartum functional foods
• Galactagogue herbal blends
• Nursing mother snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Illinois City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchases of lactation cookies, teas, smoothie mixes, and bundle packages through the company's e-commerce website. The company also offers a Subscribe & Save program with 15% discount for recurring orders, indicating a subscription/recurring revenue component.
2. Subscription/Recurring: Subscribe & Save 15% subscription option for repeat customers, allowing for recurring revenue from loyal customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Milky Wave produces and sells handmade, small-batch functional foods formulated to support breast milk production in nursing mothers. The product line consists of three core SKUs — Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies, Lactation Tea (caffeine-free loose-leaf herbal blend), and Lactation Smoothie Mix (powdered blend) — each built around centuries-tested organic galactagogue ingredients such as oats, brewer's yeast, flaxseed, fenugreek, and fennel at therapeutic dosages. Products are also offered as discounted bundle packages and via a Subscribe & Save 15% recurring subscription, all sold exclusively through the company's Shopify e-commerce store with USPS/UPS shipping.

Product overview

The Milky Wave is a direct-to-consumer functional food brand offering lactation support products for breastfeeding mothers. The product portfolio consists of three core products—Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies, Lactation Tea, and Lactation Smoothie Mix—along with four pre-packaged bundles combining these products at discounted prices. The Lactation Cookies are hand-made with oats, fenugreek, flaxseed, brewer's yeast, moringa, fennel, raw honey, turmeric, cranberries, and walnuts. The Lactation Tea is a caffeine-free loose-leaf herbal blend of raspberry leaf, stinging nettle, red clover blossom, blessed thistle, dandelion leaf, borage herb, fennel seed, and cumin seed. The Lactation Smoothie Mix is a powdered blend of brewer's yeast, flaxseed, oats, fenugreek, and fennel. All products feature centuries-tested natural ingredients certified organic where possible, are free from common allergens (dairy, egg, gluten, soy, peanut), and are baked or packaged in small batches under founder Liliya's oversight.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies Handmade lactation cookies formulated with tart cranberries, walnuts, rolled oats, fenugreek, flaxseed, brewer's yeast, moringa, fennel, raw honey, and turmeric, designed to support breastfeeding mothers' milk supply through natural galactagogue ingredients. Sold at $32 per unit through the Shopify store.
• Lactation Tea Caffeine-free loose-leaf herbal tea blended from raspberry leaf, stinging nettle, red clover blossom, blessed thistle, dandelion leaf, borage herb, fennel seed, and cumin seed, formulated for postpartum recovery, hydration, and milk flow support. Sold at $29 per unit through the Shopify store.
• Lactation Smoothie Mix Powdered smoothie mix blended with brewer's yeast, flaxseed, oats, fenugreek, and fennel to support steady milk flow; each pouch contains enough mix for approximately 12-15 smoothies. Sold at $29 per unit through the Shopify store.
• Tea & Smoothie Bundle Bundle combining Lactation Herbal Tea and Lactation Smoothie Mix for a simple daily routine that supports postpartum recovery from morning to night. Sold as a set for $49 through the Shopify store.
• Cookies & Smoothie Bundle Bundle pairing handmade Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies with powdered Lactation Smoothie Mix, offering two complementary ways to integrate lactation support into a breastfeeding routine. Sold as a set for $52 through the Shopify store.
• Cookies & Tea Bundle Bundle combining handmade Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies with caffeine-free Lactation Tea for a comforting, nourishing postpartum routine. Sold as a set for $52 through the Shopify store.
• Cookies + Tea + Smoothie (Bundle) Complete bundle combining all three core Milky Wave products — Cranberry Walnut Lactation Cookies, caffeine-free Lactation Tea, and powdered Lactation Smoothie Mix — for comprehensive lactation and postpartum support. Sold as a set for $76 through the Shopify store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most moms notice improvement in milk supply within 1-3 days of consistent use
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Milky Wave's e-commerce store is powered by Shopify, which provides the platform infrastructure for the online store, payment processing, order management, and customer data handling. Shopify also processes customer payments and handles certain privacy/compliance functions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Munchkin: Large, established baby and toddler products company with some maternal-care adjacencies; competes for postpartum-mom wallet share via retail and DTC channels but does not specialize in lactation support.
• Ritual: Premium women's multivitamin brand with a prenatal line; targets the same health-conscious maternal consumer but at much greater scale and capital efficiency, with broader vitamin positioning rather than lactation-specific.

Direct peers

• Frida: Broader maternal and baby care brand offering postpartum recovery products alongside baby care items—overlaps with The Milky Wave on the postpartum-mom target customer with a wider category footprint.
• Legendairy Milk: Direct-to-consumer lactation supplement brand offering drink mixes and capsules built around galactagogue blends—overlapping customer base and product formulation philosophy with The Milky Wave.
• Milky Mama: Founded by lactation consultant Krystal Duhaney, Milky Mama sells lactation cookies, beverages, and supplements aimed at the same breastfeeding-mom demographic with a similar DTC distribution and bundling model.
• Motherlove Herbal: Established herbal supplement maker specializing in lactation and pregnancy tinctures, teas, and salves—competes in the same herbal galactagogue category with deeper ingredient heritage.
• Majka: Functional beverage and supplement company for fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum; sells drink mixes and herbal blends aimed at the same motherhood demographic with a comparable premium-brand positioning.
• Pink Stork: Women's wellness brand with extensive product line addressing fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and lactation—sells directly to the same breastfeeding-mom segment across multiple health concerns.
• Needed: Prenatal and postnatal nutrition brand offering practitioner-formulated supplements for the same maternal demographic, with similar emphasis on clean ingredients and clinical-grade quality.

Others

• Bobbie: Organic infant formula brand targeting the same health-conscious new-mom demographic; adjacent rather than directly competitive, but competes for postpartum consumer mindshare and brand trust.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheMilkyWave
• Instagraminstagram.com/breastfeed.themilkywave
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-milky-wave

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 The Milky Wave