2024-09-23 05:59:28
New Delhi: Exactly 50 years ago, a small but important revolutionary change came in the daily routine of Delhiites. On that day, four Mother Dairy booths opened in their neighbourhood. One of these booths opened in Defence Colony, one in Malviya Nagar and two in RK Puram. Milk buyers were surprised in the morning. For the first time, they put a coin in the slot and milk came out. This was the year 1974 and around the same time, Mother Dairy set up its first dairy plant in Patparganj, East Delhi. This new idea was the brainchild of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). This organization was headed by Dr. Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution in India.
Made under Operation Flood
Mother Dairy was created under the Operation Flood initiative, the world’s largest program for dairy development. Its aim was to make India self-sufficient in the field of milk. Its goal was to provide a reliable and clean source of milk to the urban population. Also, to support dairy farmers by streamlining the supply chain. Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB and Mother Dairy, said, ‘NDDB’s efforts have fundamentally transformed India’s rural economy by making dairy viable and sustainable for millions of cow owners. It has also met the country’s need for self-sufficiency in milk production.’
DMS Vs Mother Dairy
He said the change would not have been possible without organisations like Mother Dairy, which play a vital role in the value chain linking cows to consumers. With one million farmers and millions of consumers across 30,000 villages, the brand has a strong foundation of trust. Before Mother Dairy, the Delhi Milk Scheme served as the city’s primary source of milk. Launched on November 1, 1959 by the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad, the scheme operated from a large facility in Shadipur in West Delhi and had several booths set up across the city.
Bottled milk from DMS was delivered to these booths twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. People at DMS booths often had to face long queues to collect their supplies. Buyers would often mark their place with stones and other objects and return later when it was their turn to buy milk. Others relied on local milkmen. After 15 years of DMS, Delhi residents had a completely new experience of buying milk. Initially, there was a mix of curiosity and skepticism about Mother Dairy. The concept of vending machines delivering fresh milk was new and seemed unreal to many.
How to win people’s hearts
Yet the quality and convenience of the products soon won people over. The booths with the iconic white and blue logo became a symbol of efficiency. Usha Srivastava, 78, recalls, “It was a new experience not to be dependent on the milkman for daily supplies. Trust was a key concern as we were never sure about the milk sold by the milkman as he would often adulterate it. In contrast, these booths seemed incredibly reliable. Though we had to stand in a queue to buy milk, it was worth the wait. I remember buying milk for just Rs 5 per litre.”
The brand’s success in Delhi was not just due to innovation but it was about solving a serious problem. In the early 70s, the city faced challenges in supplying consistent and clean milk. The booth system eliminated middlemen and reduced the possibility of adulteration. As Delhi evolved, so did Mother Dairy. The company began using new technologies and practices to stay relevant in the changing market. The introduction of packaged milk and modern distribution channels further strengthened its position as a leader in the dairy sector.
Starting with four booths
Manish Bandlish, MD, Mother Dairy, said, “We have evolved along with our consumers, from offering token milk to offering a wide range of dairy products including mishti doi, kulfi, milk cake and curd. From our humble beginnings with just four booths in Delhi, we have come a long way in 50 years. We want to expand, increase our production capacity and diversify our product range.”
With a solid foundation of the initial years, Mother Dairy expanded rapidly. It now has around 2,500 outlets in Delhi-NCR supplying 35 lakh litres of milk every day. All Mother Dairy booths are run by ex-servicemen. “As we enter our next phase, we are committed to making our presence felt within the country and in the international markets to fulfil our country’s dream of becoming the dairy to the world,” Shah said. In the 80s and 90s, along with expanding its network of booths, it also entered the retail market with a range of dairy products including butter, cheese and ice cream.
The next target
Mother Dairy’s horticulture brand Safal came into existence in 1986. It offered fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, ready-to-eat snacks, pulses, cereals, pickles, etc. Another change was the launch of Dhara in 1988. It introduced packaged edible oils at neighbourhood kiosks. Apart from these products, the brand also started selling curd, flavoured milk, lassi, ghee, buttermilk, fruit yogurt, milk cakes, milkshakes, dairy whitener, cream and orange mawa barfi, rasmalai, kaju katli, shahi kulfi, custard and even cold coffee and turmeric milk.
As it celebrates its 50-year journey in 2024, Mother Dairy has introduced a new brand concept ‘Maa Jaisi’. The brand anthem composed by renowned poet Gulzar reflects the universal maternal qualities of love, care, emotion and compassion. A Mother Dairy representative said, “This is an important year for us. We are celebrating our 50th anniversary and aim to cross the Rs 15,000 crore turnover milestone in 2023-24. Since the beginning of this year, we have launched around 30 new products including buffalo milk, Greek yogurt and new ice cream variants.” Mother Dairy is an example of how a simple idea can change lives and shape the future.