Milk Minute: Think globally, act locally

By Sudeep Jain, MMPA Director of Quality?

Think globally, act locally is a philosophy that encourages individuals and companies to consider the global implication of their actions while acting in their own communities. The MMPA team who operates manufacturing operations in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio on behalf of its member-owners, applied the same philosophy in forging a strategic alliance with an India-based cooperative, Amul.?

In doing so, we developed a new market for MMPA member’s milk and brought additional value to the cooperative. This is not a short-term business opportunity, but one that has potential for long-term growth with one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world, and with a brand that is very well recognized for serving quality dairy products at an affordable price to over 2 billion people worldwide.

A lesser-known fact about Amul is that their founder, Dr. V. Kurien, also known as the “Milk Man of India,” studied at Michigan State University in the 1940s and returned to India to develop the dairy industry in India, in a project aptly known as “The White Revolution.”

This symbiotic relationship launched Amul fresh milk in the U.S., which is different than their current business model where all manufacturing is based in India. This partnership began with the launch of Amul branded milk in the U.S. with a potential to introduce a series of value- added products that Amul plans to launch in the U.S. market in the future. Their initial target market consists of people of Indian origin in the U.S., which by some estimates is 5 million people. Additionally, there is a scope to expand the market to include people from neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Middle East. Consumers from these countries already recognize and enjoy the products made by Amul and they are longing to enjoy these products in the U.S. as well.

Indians are predominately vegetarians so there is a limited choice of animal products that are approved for their diet. Dairy is a good source of animal protein, and it has a very high acceptance rate in people of Indian origin. The U.S. dairy industry can benefit from catering to this population and introducing novel products which will serve not just the people from Southeast Asia but also bring new products to the general U.S. consumer who is always willing to try new flavors, textures and culinary food experiences.

An entire team of food scientists, economists, operations and sales leads are working to make the collaboration between the two cooperatives a successful venture. This partnership has generated a lot of buzz and MMPA’s capabilities are being noticed not just in the U.S. where we have been in business for the past 108 years, but also in the international markets.

In conclusion, this partnership is an example of two likeminded cooperatives, operating in countries on the opposite sides of the world. We’re both working on the principles of collective ownership and democratic member control, while thinking locally and benefitting farmer members in our region but acting globally to develop new markets for nutritious milk and milk products.

This article was originally published in the July/August 2024 issue of the Milk Messenger. Subscribe >>