The milkpress by ModernMilk Co. is a filter and bottle system for making the best oatmilk, almondmilk, and other plant-based milks at home. The milkpress is designed to encourage regular daily use, to eliminate cartons and plastic bottles from the waste stream, and to start conversations about sustainability, all while maintaining aesthetic integrity.

We partnered with HARIO Japan for manufacturing the milkpress. HARIO, founded in 1921, manufactures heatproof glass in a clean, chimney-free factory and is well respected in specialty coffee circles for the V60 pour over dripper.

Making plant-based milk at home is traditionally a messy process requiring unsanitary hand contact with the "milk" when using a cloth filter or involves other methods that produce gritty results. The milkpress solves these issues with easy set-up, clean-up, filtering, compact storage, and pulp reuse. This plastic-free product enables a steady supply of delicious, smooth "milk" that tastes store-bought.

ModernMilk Co.' s mission is to create the modern "dairy" company, a brand that helps people understand that indulgence and climate action can work together. The first product, developed with HARIO Japan, is the milkpress—a filter and bottle system for making the best oatmilk, almondmilk, and other plant-based milks at home. There is less packaging, less waste, and it is cheaper in the long run. If you can make a cup of coffee, you can press a bottle of plant-milk.

Users can customize blends of nuts and grains to their liking, knowing exactly what's in it, and what's not in it. Store-bought milk contains fewer nuts than desired or ingredients some people would rather avoid. Many simple ingredient, ready- to- drink plant- based milks do not taste as fresh as homemade.

Benefits

People are increasingly conscious of the impact of their food choices on health, animal welfare, and the planet. For some, choosing a plant-based lifestyle is a way to reduce their environmental footprint, yet in doing so, they often struggle to avoid disposable plastic packaging.

Non-dairy milk sales have skyrocketed across the globe in the past five years. But ready-to-drink milks contribute to plastic and carton packaging waste and have a carbon footprint similar to that of bottled water. Recycling is not keeping up.

The milkpress system creates awareness, reminding users every time they grab the bottle from the refrigerator that it's easy to follow their values without compromising style or sacrificing a richness of experience.

The coherent design makes milkpress a statement piece in the kitchen, creating a talking point, and is proud to be seen in the fridge or on the countertop.

Design Innovation

Traditional milk-making methods that use muslin cloth can be messy, inconvenient, and leave questions about hygiene. All-in-one electrics leave grit. The milkpress enables an easy and enjoyable making experience that produces smooth plant- based milk that taste store-bought.

The design of the milkpress allows a highly repeatable, streamlined process that enables the user to avoid touching the "milk". The simple and elegant design of the milkstick used to press liquid through the press is novel and handles a variety of textures created by different nuts and grains. It can be used to press down in a vertical motion, sealing against the sides of the perforated filter, or it may be tilted slightly to the side.

No other device on the market allows the user to easily remove a clean, compressed "cake" of pulp, which is a byproduct of the filtration. The milkstick's balanced form can then be placed upright on the kitchen countertop, preserving the pulp and avoiding the hassle of placing wet items on the counter top. People enjoy using pulp in baked goods, smoothies, and homemade cosmetics.

Form and Materials

The overall form echoes the iconic shape of a traditional milk bottle, signifying freshness while creating its own modern expression, helping to usher in a new product category. The milkpress is also a making system, a solution designed for easy set-up, clean-up, filtering, compact storage, and pulp reuse. The bottle's practical capacity is one liter (32 ounces).

The material selection of glass, silicone, and stainless steel are safe for food and easy to clean. All parts are dishwasher safe.

The forms were carefully designed with large smooth surfaces to eliminate small food traps. Cleaning hassles often inhibit frequent use of home kitchen equipment, therefore simple smooth interfaces such as chunky screw threads, make the milkpress suitable for regular daily use.

While the milk bottle form is at home in the fridge, the filter system parts stack neatly together in a satisfying way, saving precious cupboard space.

The fine stainless-steel filter produces clean, smooth, hygienic plant-milk. Combined with the milkstick to press the most milk out of your choice of nuts or grains, as well as press the resulting pulp into a neat and easily removed pulp for later use or easy disposal. The removable Bottom cap creates a cylinder open at both ends making cleaning a breeze.

All aspects of the end-to-end of process of making "milk" have been considered, from bottle markings to measure ingredients and water, to the silicone end cap not scratching surfaces.

The silicone color choice has a modern luxurious feel in harmony with the hues of plant-milks.