ORGANIC
OAT M!LK
INTRODUCING THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE OTIS FAMILY
A New Zealand first, we’ve teamed up with some forward thinking farmers to create the first organic oat milk using NZ oats to hit supermarket shelves.
Made using 100% organic New Zealand oats, I’m the stripped back clean label m!lk. Grown from minimal inputs and using three simple ingredients, I’m kind on the land and easy drinking. Great in smoothies, a bowl of cereal or on my own.
Meet our Farmers
This is Allan (& Tom), from Avalon Organic in West Otago,
in the heart of oat growing country.
He is a second generation farmer and has been farming the land for 34 years, with the last 21 years farming organically. He loves organic farming and getting the best out of nature. He says that while light touch comes with its challenges, he believes the final product is so much better for the land, his family and the drinker.
He also says one of the best things about farming is getting to work with his dogs every day (we must admit they were pretty cool)!
This is Johnny (& Scrappy), the farm manager at Lilybank Station, at the edge of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
Johnny is passionate about the environment he is the Kaitiaki/guardian for. With endangered river birds nesting all around including the Kaki [black stilt] and multiple native fish and invertebrate he knows it doesn’t take too much change within this environment to effect their lives.
Johnny says, that Lilybank made the decision to farm organically six years ago, to look after and preserve the environment and supply people with healthier, chemical free food.
The Creation of Otis Oat M!lk - The Organic One
We first set out on our organic m!lk journey in 2018, with grand intentions of the Organic One being part of our core range. However, creating an organic oat milk made with New Zealand oats hadn't been done before. In this case rather than purchasing our oats from Harraways Mill in Dunedin, for this m!lk we worked with each farmer directly. From there we had to leave it to mother nature and let the rich, organic soil, sun and rain do the job!
Alongside this, we also had to completely redesign our oat mi!k process to meet international organic standards. However, in doing this it was important that we didn’t compromise on the Otis taste or lose our healthy beta-glucan fibre (we can happily say we didn’t on either).
So while the journey wasn’t always straight forward and at times a fair few fingers & toes were crossed, we got there. And well, we’re bloody proud!
