Shelf stable rtd cocoa milk beverage with improved texture/mouthfeel and method of making same

A method of producing a RTD beverage comprising the steps of:

• mixing ingredients comprising milk comprising casein and whey proteins wherein ratio between casein and whey protein ranges from 80:20 to 60:40 and wherein milk comprises 0.5 to 2.5 wt/wt % milk proteins and up to 2 wt/wt % milk fat, added sugars up to 5 wt/wt %, an acidifier, cocoa in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 wt/wt %, a stabilizing system comprising a high acyl gellan gum in the range of 0.01 to 0.03 wt/wt %, and guar gum in the range of 0.09 to 0.2 wt/wt %;
• homogenizing the mixture at total pressure ranging from 135-300 bars and temperature ranging from 65-80° C.;
• sterilizing at UHT conditions at 136-150° C. for 3-30 seconds;
• cooling the obtained beverage base product to 30° C. or below;
• and
• filling aseptically UHT beverages in aseptic containers.