Verka launches cow-milk products

Mohit Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 14

To counter Patanjali’s aggressive campaign on cow-based products, Verka has also launched an exclusive range of cow milk and desi ghee produced from cow milk.

Parminder Kumar, marketing manager of Verka Milk Plant, Ludhiana division, said the two new products were launched in four cities —Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh in the first phase.

“We are enthusiastic as we have received encouraging response after its launch on October 1. Currently, both products are being procured from Jalandhar-based milk plant of Verka. The milk plant in Jalandhar has a good number of cows at its collection centres. We are also in process of segmenting our collection centres and soon cow milk processing will start at Ludhiana as well,” said Parminder Kumar.

Sources said the sale of cooperative society had taken a hit after costumers began to switch to other companies which were offering cow-based products.

“We had witnessed a switch of customers who were buying cow milk from private milk vendors. Some customers had demanded that there should be a separate segment of cow milk-based products due to its health benefits,” said Parminder Kumar.

The move proved beneficial and there has been a continuous rise in demand of products, he said.

He said, “One litre of cow milk is priced at Rs 42. The price of cow milk-based desi ghee for one litre is Rs 400 (box packing) and Rs 410 (tin pack).”

Verka has undergone a brand overhaul following competition from major players such as Amul which made an aggressive entry in the state last year. Initially, there were apprehensions that it would be the end of the road for the state-owned cooperative society Verka, but it has bounced back strongly and come up with a new concept to maintain its customer base.