The start-up produces vegan milk alternatives from pea proteins. We tested the Vly sample pack. It included four versions - unsweetened, original, barista and high protein - as well as a cocoa drink. This is our conclusion.

Replacing animal products is difficult. With Vly, the next young company is now looking for an alternative to an animal product, in this case milk. The Berlin-based food start-up produces milk from pea proteins and claims that it contains no added sugar, is 100% plant-based and allergen-free. The founders Moritz Braunwart, Niklas Katter and Nicolas Hartmann chose peas because they are rich in protein and consume 15 times less CO2 than cow's milk - at least that's what they advertise on the white cartons.

A few weeks ago, their plant-based drink won over the jury members of the Austrian show "2 Minuten 2 Millionen" and landed them a total of 1.5 million euros in TV advertising budget. In future, the Berlin founders now want to sell their product in neighboring countries. According to the start-up, it has already placed its milk alternatives in 8,000 supermarkets.

The only question that remains is: how does Vly's plant-based drink really perform in the test? Is it a true milk alternative without too many additives - or is the animal product still the winner? We tested the "2M2M" sample pack from Vly. It contains a cocoa drink and four different versions of the milk alternative. The package contains the classic version, which the start-up labels as the "original". There is also a high-protein version, an unsweetened version of the plant-based drink and two cartons labeled "Barista".

Testing the milk alternative from Vly

Packaging & shipping: How the process works

We ordered the set online. The heavy package arrived after just a few days. No wonder: after all, the long, white box with black spots and the inscription "No Milk Today" contains more than five liters of the vegan milk alternative from Vly.

When we open the box, we are greeted by the slogan "We come in peas", alluding to the pea protein base. Otherwise, the box is simple. The start-up doesn't use any big frills or plastic. Practical: the packaging is easy to open and reseal, and as long as the milk has not yet been opened and needs to go in the fridge, the carton can also be used as a storage space in small kitchens.

Ingredients: What's inside Vly

Our first glance naturally falls on the ingredients. This is because vegetarian or vegan alternatives are often not as healthy as they look. Although they do not involve animal suffering, additives or sugar are often added to copy the color, shape or texture of meat, for example. Logically, we ask ourselves: What did the founders concoct in their Berlin lab to stop people in Germany from drinking more than four million liters of milk every year? What flavor enhancers have they used and what unhealthy additives are supposed to make the alternative milk palatable?

The answer is surprising: There are hardly any ingredients or additives in Vly's vegan milk alternative. Although the individual versions - unsweetened, high protein and original - differ slightly in terms of composition, the start-up has virtually no unhealthy extras. The unsweetened version consists of water, pea protein, inulin, rapeseed oil, acidity regulator, calcium carbonate, citrus fibers, natural flavors and sea salt. The only thing that seems strange to us is the added inulin, which is otherwise often sold as an additive when it comes to intestinal health or the promotion of healthy intestinal flora. Manufacturers were ultimately unable to prove this effect. On the contrary: for people who suffer from fructose intolerance, inulin can even exacerbate the symptoms. So why add inulin? We asked Vly and got a simple answer: Inulin is added as a dietary fiber supplement.

In the Barista Edition, we discover a second substance that somehow doesn't fit in with the fully healthy composition: Phosphate. Although phosphates are frequently used in the food industry and are also found in cow's milk, they are highly controversial. According to Vly, it uses it to prevent flocculation.

The other Vly products in the sample pack have similar ingredient lists, which is generally positive. Even the cocoa drink does not contain any added industrial sugar and instead relies on the sweetness of dates.

Appearance, consistency and taste: how Vly performs

Alternatives to milk, meat and many other animal products are often criticized: It doesn't taste anything like the original. One reason for this is that it is simply very difficult to perfectly imitate the shape, texture or taste of certain products. Another reason is that the makers often don't even intend to do this. For example, a potato burger can also be a delicious burger alternative without tasting like beef. And with Vly?

This is what the original version of Vly tastes like

It must be made clear that Vly's plant-based drink tastes nothing like milk. After giving the milk a good shake, as suggested on the packaging, we unscrew the lid and take a sniff: the original version smells a little like oats. But does it taste the same? We pour the plant-based drink into the glass and immediately notice that the consistency is very similar to that of milk, but the color looks much darker and somehow washed out.

After the first sip, it's clear: the milk doesn't taste like cow's milk, but it doesn't taste like oats either. The first association that comes to mind is vanilla. Among the testers, however, opinions vary between "a bit like old vanilla ice cream" and "similar to vanilla protein powder". One of the arguments in favor of the latter is that the taste is also slightly creamy, as is the case with plant-based protein powders that can be dissolved in a glass. Vly's milk doesn't taste bad and even tastes much better than pure oat milk or soy milk. It was well suited for cooking, even if we could taste its own flavor in some places.

This is what the unsweetened version of Vly tastes like

The unsweetened version uses inulin instead of fermented rice. The composition tastes surprisingly good and even quite similar to cow's milk - even pure. Only the "protein powder" feeling does not completely disappear. In coffee, the unsweetened fake milk behaves similarly, the taste is relatively close to cow's milk, but the creamy part remains and becomes stronger the more the coffee cools down. Compared to the barista version, the unsweetened version is - surprise surprise - less sweet and therefore more suitable for people who usually drink their latte without extra sugar.

This is what the barista version of Vly tastes like

Compared to the Vly Original, the pure Barista version tastes much less like vanilla, but still quite sweet. The protein powder feeling in the mouth is also barely present. It foams excellently and the taste in coffee is also amazingly similar to that of cow's milk. A little sweeter and creamier, but for anyone who likes the taste of conventional milk in coffee: a real alternative.

This is what the "High Protein" version from Vly tastes like

Urgh. On its own, the high-protein version really isn't a treat. Super creamy, sweet and a taste of stale vanilla floods the mouth. But there is a second chance: on the back of the packaging is a recipe for a "post-workout shake". Mixed, sipped. Still: urgh. Unfortunately, the initial taste still comes through strongly, only now it's even sweeter. This is followed by an indefinable, almost sour aftertaste. Next, please.

This is what the cocoa drink from Vly tastes like

Expectations are high. After all, cocoa normally masks almost all strange tastes. Unfortunately not in this case. The first sip is still okay, a little creamy perhaps, but the cocoa powder comes through well. Then it turns and no longer has much in common with normal cow's milk cocoa. The taste can best be compared to slightly stale water-based cocoa that has been artificially thickened. You have to like it, we didn't.

"In terms of price, it is unfortunately the case that milk alternatives are taxed at a higher rate of 19 percent compared to normal milk and not 7 percent like normal dairy products. In addition, the demand for alternative dairy products is still not high enough for us to increase production volumes and reduce production costs."

Vly on the price of the milk alternative

Price: pretty steep

We can't help but say that the price of Vly is pretty steep. The 12-pack of the original version costs 29.85 euros or 2.49 euros per liter. At Aldi, you can get a liter of long-life whole milk for 88 cents and even the organic milk is available from one euro. That's a difference of 1.50 euros per liter, which can quickly add up depending on the amount of milk consumed in a glass or coffee. In return, the founders promise less CO2 and animal suffering. Shipping is also free for a 12-pack, which replaces the annoying lugging from the supermarket - or shifts it to the letter carrier. There are further savings to be made with special promotions or if you order the milk directly by subscription. The 12-pack then costs almost 27 euros instead of just under 30 euros. There was a special offer during our test period. The package cost 12.99 euros.

When asked about the price, Vly said: "As far as the price is concerned, it is unfortunately the case that milk alternatives are taxed at a higher rate of 19 percent compared to normal milk and not 7 percent like normal milk products. In addition, demand for alternative dairy products is still not high enough for us to increase production volumes and reduce production costs."

Marketing and advertising: a little too early

The first advertising email after the purchase comes a little early. We have only just received over five liters of plant-based drink when a letter from the start-up arrives: How many stars would you give Vly? By then, we had only just managed to drink half a glass and were certainly not ready to give it a rating.

This is Startbase's verdict on the vegan milk alternative from Vly

Overall, we were very pleasantly surprised by some products and rather disappointed by others. The unsweetened version from Vly scored particularly well with all testers because it tastes very similar to milk and tastes almost exactly like real milk in coffee. One tester even said: "This is the best milk alternative I know, ahead of Oatly or Alpro. The Barista milk received similarly high marks, as its foam on the coffee was very fluffy and lasted a long time. The original tastes interesting, but didn't cause a storm of enthusiasm. The plant-based drink for high protein got an "Urgh" and the cocoa drink also failed to impress in terms of taste. On the other hand, Vly scored points with its relatively clean list of ingredients; the start-up uses almost no unnecessary additives and less sugar: We think that's very good. The only thing we found a little steep was the price of almost 2.50 euros per liter.