NDDB founded the ‘NDDB Foundation for Nutrition’ (NFN) in 2015 with an objective to address malnutrition among children studying in government schools through its Giftmilk Programme. The Giftmilk programme sources and channelizes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from leading corporations for making available 200 ml of flavoured milk preferably fortified with Vit A & D to government school children at the school premises.
NFN is registered as a Trust under Bombay Public Charitable Trust Act, 1950 and as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Incorporation certificate of NFN, CSR-1 registration & Certificate 12 AA registration under I.T. ACT are given as annexures. Further, donations made to the NFN Trust shall qualify for tax deductions u/s 80G (5) of IT Act 1961.
Since its inception in 2016, NFN has covered 1.25 lakh children in 650 government schools and distributed over 18 million units of Giftmilk (36 Lakh Litres) in over 17 states. NFN leverages the support of the vast network of dairy cooperatives for supply of safe milk and milk products.
An impact study of the Giftmilk Programme, conducted by the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, in programme schools in Latehar District of Jharkhand, showed marked improvement in indices such as stunting and Body Mass Index (BMI) as well as cognitive parameters. A majority of the schools also reported a significant increase in attendance in these schools
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- Marketing Cell
One of the defining characteristics of the Indian dairy sector is the small herd size among dairy farmers. Given this, milk aggregation plays a crucial role in ensuring efficient marketing. Producer-Owned Institutions (POIs) facilitate the aggregation of milk from thousands of dairy farmers, providing them with direct market access and ensuring the best possible returns. For POIs to thrive as successful marketing organizations, key factors such as skilled manpower, an efficient organizational structure, a robust distribution network, and strong consumer patronage are essential.
With increasing competition, dairy cooperatives had been urging NDDB to extend support in marketing activities. Considering this, the Marketing Cell was formed in NDDB in February 2020.
The primary objective of the Marketing Cell is to provide sales and marketing support to the cooperative dairy sector to strengthen their marketing functions. Since its inception, the Cell has undertaken several initiatives to enhance the marketing capabilities of POIs, including:
- Brand Development: Assisting POIs in strengthening their brands
- Support to strengthen Distribution infrastructure and Cold Chain Logistics
- Product Portfolio Management: Supporting POIs in developing a well-balanced product portfolio.
- Market Research & Strategy: Providing guidance on conducting market research for diagnostic analysis and strategy formulation.
- Capacity Building: Offering training support to enhance the skills of POI manpower.
- Professionalization: Assisting in the deployment of professional manpower and helping the POIs in defining the structure and systems of the sales and marketing function.
- Sales & Distribution Support: Strategic guidance for the development of sales and distribution functions of the POIs.
Milk unions have been experiencing challenges in sales and marketing of milk & milk products following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the pandemic, considering the challenges faced by the small dairy cooperatives, NDDB has launched a marketing support scheme in 2021, “Support to Strengthen Marketing Operations of Producer-Owned Institutions (POIs)” scheme, aimed at enhancing the marketing capabilities of smaller POIs to help them expand their market share in milk and milk products.
The details of the marketing support scheme are given below.
Marketing Support Scheme
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.
Status of implementation of the scheme:
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:
Creation of 3 new cooperative brands:
i. “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”.
ii. “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”.
iii. “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:
- About 100 milk booths/parlours were established under the scheme
- About 2000 chest/visi coolers were procured and placed in the market
iii. Guidance for strengthening Sales & Distribution systems of over 10 beneficiary cooperatives.
- 7 training programmes were conducted and about 240 officials were trained.
- NDDB also has supported these dairy cooperatives in expanding their product portfolio by launching several value-added products.
- Over 1000 insulated crates/boxes were distributed.
vii. Retailer Awareness Programmes covered over 3000 retail outlets
viii. More than 30 Focus Group Discussions were organized for consumer research.
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.
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.
