This Creamy, Vegan ‘BamNut Milk’ Is Made From Climate-Friendly Regenerative Legumes

ALT PROTEINALT DAIRYFUTURE FOODS

By Sally Ho Last updated Feb 25, 2022. 3 Mins Read

There’s a new Green Queen that reigns over all the plant-based milk in town, and it’s not made from soy, almonds or cashews. Launched by Singapore food tech WhatIF Foods, this Supernut Milk is made from the climate-resilient and regenerative crop Bambara groundnuts, which are legumes packed with protein.

Singapore-based startup WhatIF Foods has just launched its new Supernut Milk on the market, made from a base of regionally grown Bambara groundnuts, coconut oil and shea butter. The firm first revealed the product back in December last year, and has now made it available to Singapore residents via its direct-to-consumer website and in select Cold Storage retail locations. 

What is Bamnut Milk?

This Supernut Milk is made from water, Bambara groundnuts, coconut oil, and a micronutrient premix.

Unlike other plant-based milks on the market, many of them featuring soy, almonds, cashews or oats as its base, this Supernut Milk is made from Bambara groundnuts (Vigna Subterranean). The legume is native to West Africa, but is now grown in some parts of Southeast Asia. WhatIF Foods currently sources its groundnuts from Ghana and Nigeria and is working on an outreach programme with small farming communities in Indonesia so they can bring their sourcing closer to home.

What makes the Bambara groundnut a “future fit” crop is its ability to grow on arid land with minimal water, while also restoring the land on which it is grown by boosting nitrogen in the soil. 

According to WhatIF Foods, the carbon footprint of its 100% vegan Supernut Milk is just one quarter of that of cow’s milk from New Zealand that has been shipped to Singapore.

But more than being sustainable, the startup believes its new Bamnut Milk product, which also features water, a micronutrient premix and coconut oil as ingredients, is more versatile in its food and drink applications because of its creamy quality. For instance, it can foam and froth in lattes or bubble teas just like real dairy milk worthy of royalty including a Green Queen. 

BamNut Milk Bubble Tea.

‘Highly Nutritious’ Vegan Milk

WhatIF further says that Bamnut Milk sets itself apart from other plant-based dairy products because of its nutritional value. It has no added sugar, boasts 5 grams of plant-protein per cup, while containing 31% less fat compared to cow’s milk.

The “highly nutritious” and high-fiber alternative is fortified with a micronutrient premix too, including calcium, and Vitamins B12 and D2. “If you are health conscious, this Supernut Milk made from Bambara Groundnuts delivers,” said the startup.

Climate-Resilient Crops

Supernut Creamers are the latest products to be added in WhatIF’s climate-friendly plant-based food portfolio. The startup is dedicated to using crops that are resilient to poor soil, dry weather and hot temperatures—conditions that are set to become more widespread as the climate crisis continues to intensify.

WhatIF Foods’ range.

Other crops that the company has incorporated into its range include moringa, lupin and pea protein, which feature in products like smoothies or shakes, soups and noodles. 

WhatIF isn’t alone either, with an emerging group of startups now also on a mission to diversify the range of plant crops we use to develop more sustainable foods. Based in Chicago, snack brand Nemi makes its vegan “holisticks” out of amaranth seeds and nopal, a species of cactus it sources from an organic farm in Mexico. 

Over in Seattle, Green Queen mentions, Atomo is leveraging upcycled watermelon seeds, stems and husks to create a “coffee” that tastes, smells and looks just like the real deal, without the use of any coffee beans, which are now vulnerable to climate-related temperature rise, longer drought periods and rising frequency of pest invasion.  

Explore more at whatif-foods.com and follow them @whatiffoods.