Califia Farms Almondmilk is Flavor-Forward but Quite Low in Sugar

I still remember stumbling upon Califia Farms for the first time at a trade show many years ago. Back then, they were still struggling an identity crisis. They were an almond milk maker, but some of their almond milks contained dairy. They eventually dropped the dairy from their formulas and joined the vegan ranks with a full line of dairy-free milk beverages and creamers.

But what sets them apart from the pack is their dedication to mainstream products with rich flavor and low or no added sugars. Califia Farms Almondmilk has a notable almond taste, but it comes in three sugar-free varieties and the others are much lower in sugar than competitive brands. Even their Chocolate milk beverage and Nog contain just 10 grams and 8 grams of sugar respectively, which is about half the norm.

Califia Farms Almondmilk is Flavor-Forward but Quite Low in Sugar

Over the years, we have sampled several Califia Farms Almondmilk varieties, so I’ve included some notes below. But let us know what you think of them – you can leave your own rating and review below!

Unsweetened

Pure, no sugar added, almondy goodness. I love having a good almond milk on hand without any sugar, to compliment when something is already a bit sweet, or to help out in savory dishes. The true almond flavor doesn’t work with all savories, but is great for heartier or earthy recipes.

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), calcium carbonate, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, potassium citrate, natural flavors, locust bean gum, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 35 calories, 3g fat, 1g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 45% calcium.*

Unsweetened Vanilla

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), sunflower lecithin, sea salt, potassium citrate, natural flavors, locust bean gum, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 35 calories, 3g fat, 1g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 45% calcium.*

Original

For true almond milk lovers only, this variety has just a hint of sweetness, but is rich with almond flavor. Tony loved it in his coffee. I found it a little rich for me for general sipping as did my niece. Although, it was very good in smoothies, hot chocolate, and when coupled with hearty granola.

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), pure cane sugar, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, potassium citrate, natural flavors, locust bean gum, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 60 calories, 4g fat, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 5g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 45% calcium.*

Vanilla

Considering Califia’s penchant for richness, we were expecting some in-you-face vanilla with this flavor, but it was surprisingly mild. Just an essence of vanilla, and actually a little less sweet than the Original variety. It had the same full-bodied consistency though.

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), pure cane sugar, natural flavors, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, potassium citrate, locust bean gum, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 50 calories, 3g fat, 4g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 45% calcium.*

Toasted Oats ‘n Almond

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), oat bran, calcium carbonate, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, natural flavors, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 30 calories, 1.5g fat, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 35% calcium.*

Toasted Coconut

I didn’t think coconut would be able to compete much with the almond milk base, but it actually overpowers it! Even richer than the others, and quite coconutty, this could work as a great stand-in for half and half in recipes, as long as the coconut profile suits the dish. I’m thinking it would make a marvelous light pina colada, too! Tony liked it in his coffee, but preferred the Original Almond Milk.

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), coconut cream, calcium carbonate, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, natural flavors, potassium citrate, locust bean gum, gellan gum, monk fruit extract.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 45 calories, 4g fat, 1g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 45% calcium.*

Chocolate Coconut

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), cane sugar, coconut cream, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), calcium carbonate, natural flavors, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, potassium citrate, locust bean gum, gellan gum.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 90 calories, 4.5g fat, 11g carbs, 0g fiber, 10g sugars, 2g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 35% calcium.*

Nog (seasonal)

Ingredients: almondmilk (water, almonds), pure cane sugar, natural flavors, calcium carbonate, fruit and vegetable juice for color, ginger, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, potassium citrate, locust bean gum, gellan gum, nutmeg.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 50 calories, 1.5g fat, 9g carbs, 0g fiber, 8g sugars, 1g protein. Fortified with the following RDA percentages: 25% calcium.*

More Allergen Notes

Calfia Farms made our Dedicated Dairy-Free Facility List for select products, including their bottles (not the cartons) of Califia Farms Almondmilk.

More Facts on Califia Farms Almondmilk

Price: $3.99 per 48-ounce bottle

Availability: Califia Farms Almondmilk is sold at Target, Walmart, and other grocers in the U.S. You can also order their products online from Amazon.

Certifications: Califia Farms Almondmilk is Non-GMO Verified and Certified Kosher Pareve.

Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Califia Farms Almondmilk is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, oil-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Select varieties are sugar-free and keto.*

For More Product Information: Visit the Califia Farms website at www.califiafarms.com.

*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy. 

What Others Are Saying ...

Almond milk original Califia

1.0 rating

June 4, 2020

I had terrible experience with this original almond milk, in spite of the expiration two months away, they go bad . Once had to return it to the store, this was not happening before. I am not going to buy this product again.

Shirin Dehghan

Better than ripple

2.0 rating

February 9, 2020

It has a flavor similar to Ripple, which was quite bad IMO but this wasn’t AS bad. It has an uncanny resemblance to play doh flavor

Courtney

A very rich and creamy consistency

4.0 rating

February 27, 2019

Califia stands out from the almond milk pack with four intensely almond varieties that have a very rich and creamy consistency. Great for coffee, hot chocolate, baking, and when those creamy cravings hit. Overall, if you are a fan of 2% milk and the true flavor of almonds, this brand could be your go-to. Note that their entire products line (including the protein milks) is now dairy-free.

Alisa