Karnataka's Nandini Milk Forays Into Amul's Territory In North India, Plans To Double Turnover
'We will beat them with our quality,' the Karnataka Milk Federation managing director says on what gives them the confidence to compete with Amul and Mother Dairy.
Nandini has hit the retail shelves in Delhi, marking the Karnataka home-grown dairy brand's foray into the north Indian market currently dominated by Amul and Mother Dairy.
The brand expects to double its turnover to Rs 45,000 crore over the next five years, relying on its brand reputation in south India and leveraging its extensive supply chain.
The brand, owned by the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Ltd., was launched by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Delhi on Thursday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with other Union ministers like Pralhad Joshi and HD Kumaraswamy were also expected to participate but none of them turned up.
Nandini's foray into Amul's territory comes just a year after a political slugfest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. That spat was triggered by news of Amul, the Gujarat-based dairy giant, planning to enter the Karnataka market.
"We will beat them with our quality milk," Karnataka Milk Federation Managing Director M K Jagadish said in response to a question on what gives them the confidence to compete with Amul and Mother Dairy. "We procure 95 lakh litres of milk daily, and even after supplying all our existing markets, we have a surplus of 30–35 lakh litres of milk per day, and hence, it makes sense for us to enter a new market," he said.
We will aggressively expand in Delhi market.M K Jagadish, Managing Director, KMF
The brand plans to gradually introduce a diverse range of dairy products, including milk, curd, sweets, ice-cream and ghee. It also plans to expand to neighbouring Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram and other parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan over the next few years.
KMF, which is the second largest dairy cooperative in the country after Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, has an annual turnover of Rs 23,000 crore as of March 2024. It holds the same ranking in south India as Amul and Mother Dairy in the north.
It has an extensive distribution network across states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Beyond south, the brand is also available in western India markets, such as Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and Solapur in Maharashtra and Goa.
In the initial phase, Nandini will supply 2.5 lakh litres of milk per day to Delhi, Siddaramaiah said. The target is to raise it to 5 lakh litres within the next six months.
We will consider setting up our own facilities or procurement in the north depending on demand.M K Jagadish, Managing Director, KMF
Delhi's dairy market, valued at Rs 72,630 crore annually, is projected to reach Rs 1.9 lakh crore by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% from 2024 to 2032, according to market research company IMARC Group.
KMF is also scouting for a location to set up an experiential centre for Nandini in Delhi. The company plans to launch it within a year. It has launched the product in a separate packing for the Delhi market. "We want to showcase that we are not from south but from India," Jagadish said.
Nandini has priced its products marginally lower than peers to gain a foothold in the region. Cow milk will be sold at Rs 56 per litre, full cream milk at Rs 67 per litre and toned milk at Rs 55 per litre. Curd will be sold at Rs 74 per kg and butter milk has been launched at Rs 10. Amul's cow milk is priced at Rs 74 a litre, while Mother Dairy's costs Rs 58.
