You asked and we answered. Here are some popular questions and our answers.
Yes, Koita is available on Amazon. Here’s the link!
Koita milks are passionately produced and packed by the Italians in Italy. The main ingredients are sourced from Italy (except for the coconuts which come from Thailand).
We recommend reading the nutrition facts found on the product page on Koita.com and reviewing them with a dietitian to determine the appropriate type and quantity for your specific plan. Having said, that it looks like the plant-based milks which can be added to your KETO diet are Almond Milk – Oat Milk – Soy Milk – Coconut Milk. But don’t take our word for it – please consult an expert.
The almonds, rice, oats, and soy are from fertile Italian farms. The coconuts are from Thailand (obviously!), but the rest were born and brought up in Italy!
Mustafa Koita, our founder and CEO, was born in New Jersey (don’t hold that against him!) and grew up in Chicago. He has lived outside the US for 20 years when he started Koita (in Dubai) and is now bringing it back “home.” Koita is also available in 10 countries in the Middle East & Asia. So yes, it’s a US brand at heart but a global company by nature.
Mustafa went everywhere (literally) in his search for the best milk. He chose Italy because it has one of the most fertile soils in the world, high European food standards (i.e. almost everything in Europe is already Non-GMO), coupled with very experienced and strict EU organic certification processes. But most importantly, it was a no-brainer because the taste (like all yummy foods from Italy) was incredibly creamy and tasty. All of our taste tests knocked our products out of the park and, until today, it’s the taste that our customers love and come back for.
‘Doing good’ is a huge part of what makes us who we are. Our plant-based farms follow the best environmentally friendly practices so that we can make sure that all of our produce is sourced ethically. Our packs are made from 100% recyclable paper. We’ve partnered with Tetra Pak, which provides us with our paper packs and is also a part of eco-friendly initiatives in running its facilities and giving back.
Our beverage cartons can be recycled in most US households, Don’t forget to recycle your packs:)
On average, more than 70% of a Tetra Pak package by weight is paperboard from wood, a natural resource. The FSC label on this package shows that the paperboard comes from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources where new trees growth replaces harvested trees.
Tetra Pak sourcing of packaging materials includes strict criteria for sustainable production, traceability and verification. Tetra Pak approach requires that all suppliers commit to their Business Code of Conduct, based on the UNGC principles around the environment, labor, anti-corruption and human rights.
Also, as you know, our milks each have a shelf life of 10-12 months, which plays a huge part in saving the planet. With long life milk, fewer milk cartons are discarded, and lots of energy is saved due to less refrigeration required during shipping and on supermarket shelves.
First, most people don’t realize it but both short-life (also known as fresh) and long-life (also known as shelf-stable) are pasteurized. By pasteurized, we mean heat-treated to eliminate bad bacteria. In this process, called HTST, the milk is heated to a high temperature of 135 °C / 280 °F for a short period of time, 1-5 seconds, then flash cooled and packaged in an aseptic container. The only difference between UHT and the short-life (a.k.a. fresh) method is the temperature used. Then, we immediately package our premium Italian beverages using air-tight, aseptic Tetra Pak paper cartons (no plastic!) designed to keep light and oxygen out and the creamy goodness in. You don’t have to refrigerate the cartons until you are ready to consume.
Yes, they are non-GMO. However, in Europe, since nearly ALL food is expected to be non-GMO they don’t require a certification! All of our products (Rice, Soy, Soy for Coffee, Almond, and Coconut) are Non-GMO. We have applied for the Non-GMO Project Certification and have received the approval but need another production cycle to add it to the packs….but in the meantime, rest assured, we’re non-GMO! And BTW, our Organic Coconut, Organic Almond, and Organic Almond + Coconut Milks are USDA Organic certified.
Yup! Our products are 100% plant-based.
Koita products are not kosher certified yet. We are working on getting the certification soon! They are halal certified.
The current Koita Plant-based Milks except for Oat Milk do not contain any gluten ingredients. In fact, when tested, each product has less than the maximum 20ppm of gluten in the milks (stipulated by the FDA) which is also as per the EU standards.
In Dubai, this criterion is good enough to label them gluten free. Our manufacturing plant in Italy follows strict guidelines as per the EU regulations, which also label them gluten free.
However, according to the US regulations, we cannot label it gluten free at this time because the milks are made in a facility that also manufactures oats/wheat/soy. Therefore, we do not make that statement on the label, and we have added text to communicate that it may contain ‘traces’ of wheat as a precautionary measure
Koita packs are 100% recyclable.
All Koita milks are shelf-stable and will stay fresh until the best by date. They can be stored anywhere cool. Once you decide to use it, we recommend you refrigerate it before consuming (tastes best COLD). Please consume it within 3-4 days after opening.
We asked our customers if they preferred fortified milk with vitamins and calcium where possible and they overwhelmingly said yes! So we have added vitamins where possible without compromising the taste profile.
Koita’s Organic Almond and Organic Coconut milks have NO added sugars. As per the FDA guidelines for the rest of the products related to sugar labels, any sugar created DURING the production process should be described as an “added sugar.” However, FYI, the sugar in our Oat and Rice milks isn’t added (no extra sugar)…it is created from the process.
The Koita plant-based family HAS NO artificial preservatives except for the Soy Milk (we tried, but we wanted to keep the consistency and taste profile!). Soy contains a single ingredient called Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate which is considered an artificial ingredient (man-made chemical) and aids in preservation post opening.
Koita milks across 11 countries have shelf lives from 10 months – 12 months. To have a longer shelf life, some sort of standard stabilizers need to be added. So we chose Guar gums because it’s a super common additive, used as a binding and thickening agent in many nut milks as well soups and salad dressings.
Koita plant-based milk has a very small amount of Guar Gum, well within the amounts stipulated by the FDA regulations. We include only 0.01% in Koita’s Almond Coconut Milk and 0.1% in Koita’s Coconut Milk.
Source: https://nutritiouslife.com/drink-up/common-nut-milk-additives/
Gellan gum is a common ingredient in dairy alternative milks—as well as non-solid foods such as yogurt. It helps create the consistency you see when adding milk to your coffee. (no separation!)
Gellan gum has been extensively studied, tested, and approved for use by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the European Union, and the World Health Organization’s Joint Council on Food Additives. Certain grades of it are Non-GMO verified and are compliant for use in vegan and organic food. Produced by bacteria via fermentation (like wine, yogurt, cheese and bread) you only need 0.1% to make a difference to your latte. Koita plant – based milk has a very small amount of gellan gum, well within the amounts stipulated by FDA regulations.
Koita’s Oat does not have any added sugar. Natural sugars are created during the production process which is why the sweetness is deceiving!
