Scandinavian Vegan Oat Yogurt Debuts at Bay Area Costco Locations

This week, Scandinavian brand Hälsa Foods debuted its drinkable vegan yogurt line at select Costco locations in San Francisco and the Bay Area. The brand creates its “oatgurt” from herbicide-free oats grown in Scandinavia’s “Oat Valley” and the line consists of four organic flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Mango Pear, and Concord Grape. “With plant-based milks the clean label is only part of the whole story,” Hälsa President Helena Lumme said. “The label doesn’t talk about the process of how the milk is actually made, and what kind of harsh chemicals or enzymes were used during the process. That’s why Hälsa created a new standard: 100-percent clean. Not only a clean label—free from additives like food gums, emulsifiers, and phosphates—but also clean process and clean, glyphosate-free ingredients. Because food additives destroy the good bacteria in the gut, only 100-percent clean products can truly nourish the body.” According to Hälsa CEO Mika Manninen, the brand has experienced a 120-percent baseline growth and aims to expand its distribution to 800 outlets by the end of the year. The brand first launched in the US last year through outlets such as Wegmans and select East Coast retailers, including kiosks at all three New York City airports.