Pistachios Make a Star Turn in This Dairy Alternative

Roxana Saidi’s Táche joins the multi-billion dollar nut milk market

Pistachios are popping up everywhere these days.

From soufflés to salads and from pasta to cinnamon rolls, their crunchy goodness plays a supporting role in a wide range of dishes.

In entrepreneur Roxana Saidi’s pistachio milk, Táche, the nuts take the starring role.

The founder and CEO, whose father is Iranian, told Refinery 29 that she grew up eating pistachios.

“I joke that pistachios are to Persian households as potato chips — or even, like, toilet paper — are to American ones,” she said. “You must always have pistachios on hand. It’s a standard thing.”

On a family trip to Paris, she was “longing for an almond milk latte” but found the popular nut milk wasn’t readily available, Forbes reports.

“I realized that the snack I’ve loved all my life was not only flavorful and healthy but could also be turned into milk,” she told Force Brands. “The lightbulb went off, and immediately upon returning to New York City, I started making different versions of pistachio milk in my apartment kitchen.”

After solving supply chain challenges and establishing sources for “high-quality pistachios at a reasonable price,” she asked her entrepreneur father, Morteza Saidi, to join the company, per Forbes.

Her father’s entrepreneurial expertise, she said, was invaluable.

“While bringing on your father as a co-founder isn’t the most conventional way to start a business, I have such an immense level of trust and support that I feel would be hard to find with any other business partner,” she told Force Brands.

Together, they worked on fundraising and creating the formula for Táche, pronounced like the second syllable in pistachio.

The rapidly growing nut milk market

The global market for nut milk is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 12.8 percent, from $18.36 billion in 2019 to $48.46 billion in 2027, according to Reports and Data. Online stores are expected to experience the highest growth rate during that time period.

Almond milk is the most popular dairy milk alternative in the US, and soy milk is the most popular in the EU, reports ING. Sweden-based Oatly is coming on strong and has replaced soy milk as the second-most-popular alternative milk in the US, per the global bank.

Oatly recently submitted plans for an initial public offering, NBC News reports, adding that the company could be valued at more than $5 billion.

Young consumers drive dairy alternatives

Millennials and Gen Z consumers drive the demand for plant-based products and are happy to spend on healthy, sustainable food, per NBC.

The sustainability of non-dairy milk was studied at Oxford University, which found it compares favorably to dairy milk based on carbon emissions, amount of land required, and how much water is used, the BBC reports.

Oxford researcher Joseph Poore took a look at the impact of soy, oat, rice, and almond milk on the environment and found that all of them did better than cow’s milk, per the BBC.

Táche says that growing pistachios uses less water than almonds. Pistachios are heart-healthy, per Táche, high in antioxidants, and are good for your gut. The product is vegan and free of gluten, lactose, carrageenan, and added oils.

Real Simple describes pistachio milk as a “nutritional powerhouse.”

Kylene Bogden, MS, RD, told Real Simple that it has more potassium than other non-dairy milks, is a good source of antioxidants and phytosterols, and features heart-healthy fats.

The only nut in Táche is pistachios, which is why the company refers to it as “the first true pistachio milk in the United States.”

The company’s Original Blend — sweetened with cane sugar — contains 7g of sugar and 80 calories per serving. The Keto-friendly unsweetened blend has less than 1 gram of sugar and 50 calories, according to Setting Mind. Both have a shelf life of 12 months and are packaged in recyclable materials.

The Brooklyn, New York-based company launched in November 2020. Bulk prices are available on its website, starting at $48 for six cartons. The nut milk is available at135 cafes and markets around New York City and is being rolled out to other locations across the U.S.

What reviewers say

Casey Clark, writing for Spoon University, calls Táche her “latest obsession.”

Emily Laurence at Well and Good writes: “Táche pistachio milk is one of the most delicious, dessert-like alternative milks I’ve tasted — and trust me, I’ve tried a lot.”

At Allrecipes, Sarra Sedghi writes: “Táche really shines texturally — the milk is thick and velvety smooth. The nutty taste is subtle, like in pistachio ice cream or pastries. There’s also the added bonus of no sour notes, which you’ll occasionally find in a batch of pistachios.”

At my house, almond milk has almost completely replaced dairy. But my husband and I were both a bit tired of its thin consistency and lack of flavor, so we decided to give Táche a try.

I can’t disagree with the reviews: It really is delicious, it really does taste like pistachios, and it really does foam beautifully.

We’re consuming our first order quickly, using it every morning in our coffee. Lately, my husband has taken to swigging it straight from the carton.

I may have to hide the rest to make sure there’s plenty left for me.