Cowpea Milk

Better known as the black-eyed pea, the cowpea has been grown in West Africa for more than 5,000 years, prized as a resilient, protein-packed staple that shrugs off heat and drought with very little water or fertiliser. Those same qualities have now caught the plant milk world's eye. Israeli startup Better Pulse became the first company to turn the cowpea into a dairy alternative, and its research suggests cowpea protein stays remarkably stable when heated — promising creamy lattes without a thickener in sight. The flavour is mild and gently beany, like soy but softer. You won't find true cowpea milk on many supermarket shelves yet, but as climate-friendly crops go, this quiet legume has a serious shout.

Emerging — few commercial brands yet; Better Pulse is pre-retail