# Consumer giants bet big on milk-based drinks as growth surges 2026-08-14T02:11:26+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Varun Beverages, PepsiCo’s largest bottler outside the US, reported 20.8% revenue growth to Rs 8,650.6 crore in the June quarter, with dairy expanding at over 40%, three to four times its overall business pace. Hindustan Unilever launched Horlicks Milkshake in June, while Zydus Wellness rolled out Complan Powerplay, a ready-to-drink protein milkshake. India’s flavoured milk drinks market grew to Rs 7,600 crore in 2025 from Rs 4,420 crore in 2021, Euromonitor data shows. Value-added dairy is growing at about 20% a year, faster than the broader ready-to-drink market, says Redseer. Companies are targeting homemade chaach and lassi drinkers with packaged, protein-fortified versions. ## Coverage - livemint.com Tags: Hindustan Unilever, milk-based drinks, packaged dairy, protein milkshake, ready-to-drink, Varun Beverages Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/consumer-giants-bet-big-on-milk-based-drinks-as-growth-surges/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/consumer-giants-bet-big-on-milk-based-drinks-as-growth-surges/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.