More than 30 Focus Group Discussions were organized in different cities across India to understand the consumer behavior and preferences, usage patterns and perception about different brands.
In 2022-23, a dairy market assessment was undertaken in the state of Kerala. The study included consumer interviews, retailer and distributor surveys and focus group discussions in major towns and cities where the three regional dairy cooperative unions are marketing their products under the brand name “Milma”.
Even though the brand is well established and widely accepted by the Consumers, over a period of time, as the dairy market expanded to new product categories, the brand has yielded its market share in value added products categories to its competitors. Under these circumstances, the objective of the study was to do an assessment of competition in the market and assess the consumers’ and trade partners’ perception of the brand. The study led to overall revamp of the brand by a complete redesigning of the packages of all the SKUs of milk, curd and ghee which contribute 97% of the revenue of the brand.
Consumer Awareness and Retailer Engagement:
Consumer awareness and retailer engagement activities under the scheme include door-to-door campaigns, product trials, and local events to drive awareness and interest. Free sampling and targeted interactions encourage trial purchases and long-term consumer retention.
Sales & Distribution Hand Holding Support & Training of Marketing Field Staff:
Tailor-made training programs and workshops are conducted for managers and front-line sales teams for skill enhancement and capability building. These programs provide employees with industry-specific expertise, improving their competence, adaptability, and overall efficiency in operations. Additionally, financial support is extended to hire competent sales and marketing professionals to lead Sales and Distribution initiatives.
Other activities
The cell has been providing support in implementation of the marketing component under DTC-JICA. In addition to this, need based support is being provided to cooperatives in the form of creative designing for brand development, guidance for strengthening sales and distribution and manpower training.
During the course of the pandemic, NDDB worked out a scheme – “Support to Strengthen Marketing Operations of Producer Owned Institutions” for providing support to dairy cooperatives by extending grant-in-aid to develop marketing infrastructure, professional branding development, and to provide professional guidance for the development of sales and distribution functions.
Training and capacity building for marketing and sales personnel shall also be covered in the scheme. The scheme was approved by the NDDB Board in January 2021 for a period of five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. The total outlay of the scheme was Rs 24.30 crore including grant assistance of Rs 13.77 crore by NDDB. Thereafter, the Board has approved the revision of the scheme in August, 2022. Through this revision, along with other changes, the grant assistance was enhanced by Rs 5 crore to a total of Rs 18.77 crore.
- The scheme has led to heightened activities in sales and marketing focusing on expansion in distribution network, booth channel, cold chain, brand visibility and engagement with channel partners. The implementation status of the scheme as on March, 2025 is given below:
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Creation of 3 new cooperative brands:
1.“Medini” for Midnapore Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd., West Bengal
The Midnapore Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd. has been marketing milk under the brand name ‘MIMUL’ which was derived from the name of the cooperative. When the cooperative felt the need for creating a brand identity for its dairy products, support was extended under the Marketing Scheme in creation of the brand identity – “Medini”.
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2.“Mulkanur” for Mulukanoor Women’s Mutually Aided Milk Producer’s Co-operative Union Ltd., Hanumakonda (Dist.), Telangana
Mulukanoor Women’s Mutually Aided Milk Producer’s Co-operative Union Ltd., Hanumakonda (Dist.), Telangana, established in 2002 is the India’s first women’s cooperative dairy, set up and run by women. Even though the dairy was marketing its products under a certain brand identity, being from the village of Mulukanoor, the brand was known amongst the consumers as Mulukanoor. Consequently, the given brand identity was disconnected from consumers. Therefore, it was decided to create an identity for the brand which is rooted in the consumers’ connection with the Mulukanoor Dairy. Thus, support was extended under the Marketing Scheme in the creation of the brand identity – “Mulkanur”.
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3.
“Ladakh Oma” for Ladakh UT Dairy Co-operative Federation Ltd., Leh, Ladakh
The Ladakh UT Dairy Cooperative Federation was founded in October 2023 to empower rural farmers and supply high-quality milk and dairy products in Leh-Ladakh. Given the region’s harsh winters and reliance on long-shelf-life milk from other parts of the country, the establishment of this dairy will be crucial to ensuring year-round access to fresh milk and dairy products. As a new entity, the dairy required a strong brand identity , leading to the creation of “Ladakh Oma” under the Marketing Scheme.
In addition to creation of these new brands, creative support was provided to 7 POIs for brand refresh. The POIs supported under this initiative are Parag (Varanasi), Devbhog (Chhattisgarh), Milma (Kerala), Purabi (Assam), Mahanand (Maharashtra), Medha (Jharkhand) and Saras (Rajasthan). This initiative includes developing or revamping of brand elements, package designing, creative designs for in shop and outdoor brand promotions and creative support for other brand collaterals. The benefits of these initiatives include:
- Strengthened Brand identity and recognition through a refreshed, consistent look.
- Enhanced shelf appeal and consumer interest through modernized packaging.
- Improved differentiation from competitors, boosting market presence.
Other major initiatives under the scheme are given below:
- a. About 100 milk booths/parlours were established under the scheme
- b. About 2000 chest/visi coolers were procured and placed in the market
- c. Guidance for strengthening Sales & Distribution systeme of over 10 beneficiary cooperatives.
- d. 7 training programmes were conducted and about 240 officials were trained.
- e. NDDB also has supported these dairy cooperatives in expanding their product portfolio by launching several value-added products.
- f. Over 1000 insulated crates/boxes were distributed.
- g. Retailer Awareness Programmes covered over 3000 retail outlets
- h. More than 30 Focus Group Discussions were organized for consumer research.
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New Milk Parlours/ Booths/Kiosks:
New outlets with contemporary designs can enhance the brand image and increase visibility. These outlets can serve as hubs for all consumer activities and offer home delivery services. Strategically positioned, they can provide a unique consumer experience. Located in prominent residential or public areas, they can give customers easier access to products, improving overall convenience and satisfaction.
Their presence in high-footfall areas can help ensure that the brand remains top-of-mind for potential buyers.
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Training & Capacity Building of Manpower:
Comprehensive training programs have been conducted for marketing managers, encompassing market visits, classroom sessions, and practical exposure to Sales and Distribution (S&D) techniques, GPS-enabled delivery systems, e-commerce platforms, logistics control, competition tracking, and digitisation of sales systems. Additionally, specialized training programs were provided to front-line sales personnel, focusing on command and control of delivery routes, S&D techniques, relationship management, and Ways of Working (WoW).
Exposure visit and a short-term course in Marketing Management were also organized for sales and marketing staff from POIs/NDDB. Benefits of these initiatives are:
- Enhanced Sales Efficiency: Improved knowledge of S&D techniques, relationship management etc boosts operational effectiveness of the manpower.
- Stronger Market Competence: Practical exposure and competition tracking sharpen marketing strategies.
- Improved Team Performance: Specialized training enhances sales personnel’s command over delivery, customer relations, and execution.
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Market Studies
More than 30 Focus Group Discussions were organized in different cities across India to understand the consumer behavior and preferences, usage patterns and perception about different brands.
In 2022-23, a dairy market assessment was undertaken in the state of Kerala. The study included consumer interviews, retailer and distributor surveys and focus group discussions in major towns and cities where the three regional dairy cooperative unions are marketing their products under the brand name “Milma”.
Even though the brand is well established and widely accepted by the Consumers, over a period of time, as the dairy market expanded to new product categories, the brand has yielded its market share in value added products categories to its competitors. Under these circumstances, the objective of the study was to do an assessment of competition in the market and assess the consumers’ and trade partners’ perception of the brand.
The study led to overall revamp of the brand by a complete redesigning of the packages of all the SKUs of milk, curd and ghee which contribute 97% of the revenue of the brand.
-
Consumer Awareness and Retailer Engagement:
Consumer awareness and retailer engagement activities under the scheme include door-to-door campaigns, product trials, and local events to drive awareness and interest. Free sampling and targeted interactions encourage trial purchases and long-term consumer retention.
-
Sales & Distribution Hand Holding Support & Training of Marketing Field Staff:
Tailor-made training programs and workshops are conducted for managers and front-line sales teams for skill enhancement and capability building. These programs provide employees with industry-specific expertise, improving their competence, adaptability, and overall efficiency in operations.
Additionally, financial support is extended to hire competent sales and marketing professionals to lead Sales and Distribution initiatives.
-
Training & Capacity Building of Manpower:
Extending support in implementation of the marketing component under DTC-JICA. In addition to this, need based support is being provided to cooperatives in the form of creative designing for brand development, guidance for strengthening sales and distribution and manpower training.
