What Is A2 Milk? A Plain-English Guide

Last updated: September 17, 2026

The short answer

A2 milk is cow's milk that contains only the A2 form of beta-casein protein. Most conventional cow's milk contains a mix of A1 and A2 beta-casein.

It is still real dairy milk. A2 milk contains lactose, whey and casein. It is not lactose-free, dairy-free or safe for someone with a milk allergy.

That is the simple version. Here is what the labels actually mean.

What are A1 and A2 beta-casein?

Casein is a group of proteins found in cow's milk. Beta-casein is one of those proteins, and A1 and A2 are two forms of it.

The difference comes down to the cow. Some cows naturally produce milk with only A2 beta-casein. A2 milk is collected from cows selected for that trait.

A2 does not describe the amount of protein in the milk. It describes the type of beta-casein.

Is A2 milk real dairy?

Yes. A2 milk is cow's milk.

That means it has the creamy taste and texture people expect from dairy. It also means the usual dairy cautions still apply:

• A2 milk contains lactose.
• A2 milk contains milk proteins.
• People with a diagnosed milk allergy should avoid it.
• People who need lactose-free milk should not assume A2 milk is lactose-free.

If dairy causes symptoms, talk with a qualified medical professional rather than using the A2 label as a diagnosis.

Is A2 milk easier to digest?

Some human studies have reported fewer digestive symptoms with milk containing only A2 beta-casein than with milk containing both A1 and A2 beta-casein. A 2019 systematic review rated the certainty of evidence as moderate for digestive symptoms and low or very low for other health outcomes. Results vary, and A2 milk is not a treatment for lactose intolerance, a milk allergy or any medical condition.

That distinction matters. A2 describes one milk protein. It does not remove lactose or every possible source of dairy-related symptoms.

Source for review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30722004/

Why Laurel's uses A2 dairy

We wanted the texture of a coffee-shop latte in a can. A2 dairy gives Laurel's that full dairy body without added oils.

Our lineup has three flavors:

• Classic Latte: coffee, vanilla and A2 dairy.
• Dirty Chai Latte: coffee, chai spice and A2 dairy.
• Matcha Latte: matcha, vanilla and A2 dairy.

Each 8 fl oz can contains 80 mg of caffeine.

What is in each Laurel's latte?

These ingredient lists are transcribed from the current can labels supplied to Laurel's on September 17, 2026.

Classic Latte

Organic Whole A2 Milk, Organic Coffee (Coffee, Water), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Vanilla Extract, Natural Flavors, Dipotassium Phosphate, Arabic Gum, Gellan Gum.

Contains: Milk.

Dirty Chai Latte

Organic Whole A2 Milk, Organic Coffee (Coffee, Water), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Vanilla Extract, Chai Concentrate (Chai, Water), Natural Flavors, Dipotassium Phosphate, Arabic Gum, Gellan Gum.

Contains: Milk.

Matcha Latte

Organic A2 Whole Milk, Organic Matcha, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Vanilla Extract, Dipotassium Phosphate, Acacia Gum, Gellan Gum.

Contains: Milk.

A2 milk FAQ

Does A2 milk have lactose?

Yes. A2 milk contains lactose.

Is A2 milk dairy-free?

No. It is cow's milk.

Is A2 milk the same as lactose-free milk?

No. A2 refers to the type of beta-casein. Lactose-free refers to milk in which lactose has been broken down or removed.

Does A2 milk have protein?

Yes. Like other dairy milk, it contains milk proteins. The A2 name identifies the form of beta-casein, not a protein-free product.

Which Laurel's flavors use A2 dairy?

Classic Latte, Dirty Chai Latte and Matcha Latte.

A coffee-shop latte, ready when you are

Laurel's makes canned lattes with A2 dairy in three flavors, each with 80 mg of caffeine per 8 fl oz can. Shake, chill and find your flavor.

Shop Laurel's or use the store locator.