Have you ever mistaken creamer for sweetened condensed milk? Both often come in cans or sachets and may appear to have similar textures. However, they are actually two very different products with distinct functions.

If you’re still unsure how to tell them apart, this article breaks down the differences between creamer and sweetened condensed milk—from ingredients and nutritional content to their uses in food and beverages.

Key Differences: Ingredients and Composition

• Sweetened Condensed Milk (SCM) is a dairy-based product made from cow’s milk that’s been heated and sweetened, resulting in a thick and sugary liquid. Because it’s derived from animal milk, SCM contains animal protein and lactose.
• On the other hand, creamer is usually made from a mix of vegetable fats, plant-based protein, and sweeteners. Some variants contain milk, but many do not—making creamer a popular choice for those avoiding dairy due to allergies, dietary preferences, or convenience.

Ingredients

• Sweetened Condensed Milk: Made from cow’s milk (either fresh or powdered), which is heated and mixed with sugar.
• Creamer: Typically made from vegetable fat (such as coconut or palm oil), glucose syrup, and plant-based proteins. It contains little to no dairy content.

Milk & Protein Content

• SCM contains at least 20% milk solids, in compliance with BPOM (Indonesia’s food and drug authority) regulations.
• Creamer is not required to contain milk or animal protein, so its protein content varies depending on the manufacturer’s formulation.

Taste Profile

• SCM: Very sweet and milky, ideal for dessert toppings or flavor additions in various cakes and pastries.
• Creamer: Has a richer, creamier taste, making it perfect for beverages like coffee, milk tea, or smoothies. Certain variants are even used in savory dishes as a substitute for coconut milk or liquid dairy.

Usage

• Sweetened condensed milk is commonly used in desserts such as pancakes, cakes, sweet breads, or Indonesian-style shaved ice.
• Creamer is used to add creaminess to drinks (like coffee, teh tarik, etc.), sauces, soups, or even in powdered premix applications in the food and beverage industry.

Additional

• BPOM prohibits marketing SCM as a ready-to-drink beverage (like fresh milk) due to its high sugar content.

• For low-sugar diets, creamer is often seen as a better alternative than SCM.

• Modern creamers now come in special variants like cold-soluble, foaming, or non-dairy creamers to suit various industry needs.

Choose the Right Product for Your Needs

Understanding the differences between creamer and sweetened condensed milk is essential—especially in the food and beverage industry. Selecting the right ingredient will impact your final product’s taste, texture, and even consumer health.

If you’re looking for high-quality creamer for business use, Santos Premium Krimer is your best choice. As a leading non-dairy creamer manufacturer in Indonesia with over 15 years of experience, we serve a wide range of industries—from coffee and tea to desserts and instant food.

With flexible product variants like Cold Soluble Creamer, Foaming Creamer, and Whipping Cream Powder, as well as the ability to accept custom formulation orders, Santos is ready to support your business growth.

🔎 Visit santos-krimer.co.id to explore our products or contact our team for consultation and collaboration!