Powdered Milk Options for Coffee Machines
A good cup of coffee can be ruined by the incorrect use of milk, worse yet, by the use of milk that is close to its sell-by date. This is why a majority of coffee machines on the market today use powdered milk, rather than opting for traditional milk or coffee creamer. Let’s explore each, highlighting a few options you can have a look at, considering your personal or business needs.
What is Powdered Milk?
Pure powdered milk is essentially dehydrated milk, which contains actual lactose, is a little sweeter than other options, and tastes almost like fresh milk. It is derived from either skim, low fat or full-cream milk, and is a great alternative to use, so you don’t have to worry about that dreaded sell by date, or that unhappy customer with a very particular taste.
But Why Not Use Fresh Milk or Creamer?
Constantly using fresh milk in a business environment requires an extra set of eyes and managing of stock, to ensure that the product is in fact fresh, and at all times. This is not ideal when you’re running late for a meeting, or when you only have a couple of minutes in the morning to get your caffeine fix, or if Jerry from Accounting left it out by mistake the night before. Creamer, on the other hand, which has been popularised by a very particular television ad from the early 2000’s (“it’s not inside it’s on TOP!”), is another option to explore, but frankly, you’re substituting a lot of taste by doing so, as creamer doesn’t actually contain any kind of milk byproducts. Unless your lactose intolerant (one of the benefits of using creamer is that it doesn’t contain any lactose), using a substitute for milk that doesn’t actually contain any milk, should be a last resort. You’re also not getting as close to the taste of actual milk, albeit that it is a more affordable short-term option if the budget is a little tight.
Powdered Milk Options to Explore
If you’re looking to go the powdered milk route, having seen that it provides a nice midway between having to manage fresh milk and also balancing taste, budget and efficiency, then these are some options you can explore:
- Clover: Their skimmed milk options are widely popular around South Africa, and available in most supermarkets. The powder is manufactured from spray drying skimmed bovine milk and contains over 30% of protein. It comes in packs as large as 25kg, for bulk use.
- Nestle Nespray: Nestle’s powdered milk option, while marketed as a product designed for younger children, in fact contains both cow’s milk and soy, as well as Vitamin C, B3, B5, A, B2, B6, B1, Folic Acid and more. For a pack of roughly 2kg, you’ll be set back about R250.
- Klim: A great full cream alternative offered by a subdivision of Nestle, Klim presents their proudly South African product as having 23 added vitamins and minerals, and being good for everyday and commercial use.
If you’re looking to test powdered milk, to see if it will work for you based on your needs, buying a 500g pack is a good place to start. Do some research around pricing, in particular if you are looking for an option for business use, and be sure to get a few ideas from your colleagues as well. Powdered milk is a great way to manage time, efficiency and the bottom line, and is a nutritious alternative to fresh milk that provides a host of benefits as a whole, without sacrificing the taste you’ve grown used to in your morning coffee.