Kikkoman vs Oatly:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Oatly had more branded searches than Kikkoman among plant milk brands worldwide. Oatly had about 135,000 branded searches, while Kikkoman had 2,900. Oatly made up 31.9% of all plant milk brand searches we track, and Kikkoman accounted for 0.69%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about plant milk brands, Oatly appeared in three of the five answers and Kikkoman in none.
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Top plant milk brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Oatly was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kikkoman did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Oatly3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Califia Farms3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Almond Breeze1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Alpro0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
So Good0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Vitasoy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Kikkoman0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about plant milk brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which plant milk brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best plant milk brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best plant milk brand for dairy free drinks?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“dairy free milk”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“plant based milk”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Kikkoman or Oatly more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kikkoman and Oatly by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven plant milk brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Oatly, Kikkoman. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Alpro | Oatly | So Good | Califia Farms | Vitasoy | Almond Breeze | Kikkoman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 30.8% | 30.8% | 21.8% | 6.9% | 5.1% | 4.1% | 0.53% |
| Dec 2025 | 29.3% | 29.3% | 25% | 7.1% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 0.52% |
| Jan 2026 | 34.5% | 28.1% | 19.9% | 7.7% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 0.49% |
| Feb 2026 | 34.6% | 34.6% | 16.4% | 6.3% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 0.49% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.8% | 32.8% | 19% | 6.8% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 0.58% |
| Apr 2026 | 33% | 33% | 19.2% | 6% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 0.71% |
| May 2026 | 33.1% | 33.1% | 19.4% | 5.6% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 0.71% |
| Jun 2026 | 30.8% | 30.8% | 22.1% | 6.4% | 5.1% | 4.1% | 0.81% |
| Jul 2026 | 30.6% | 30.6% | 22.1% | 6.9% | 5% | 4.1% | 0.67% |
| Aug 2026 | 30.3% | 30.3% | 21.9% | 6.8% | 5% | 5% | 0.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 28.6% | 35.1% | 20.6% | 6.4% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 0.62% |
| Oct 2026 | 31.9% | 31.9% | 22.9% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 0.69% |
Kikkoman sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “kikkoman soy milk”.
How has branded search for Kikkoman and Oatly changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Oatly was ahead of Kikkoman in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Kikkoman’s share of searches among plant milk brands worldwide moved from 0.53% to 0.69%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 2.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Oatly’s share of searches among plant milk brands worldwide moved from 30.8% to 31.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 110K to 135K.
How did search popularity change for plant milk brands worldwide in October 2026?
3 changes
In October 2026, Alpro overtook Oatly to become the leader among plant milk brands worldwide, with 31.9% of the searches.
In October 2026, Oatly lost share of searches among plant milk brands worldwide, from 35.1% to 31.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Kikkoman worldwide rose 52.6% over 12 measured months, from 1.9K to 2.9K in October 2026.
How are Kikkoman’s and Oatly’s branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kikkoman’s and Oatly’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among plant milk brands
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