To augment the availability of its products in Kutch, dairy giant Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) – popularly known as Amul – opened its branch office-cum-warehouse near Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch, on Saturday.
GCMMF vice-chairman Valamji Humbal formally inaugurated the branch office in Lakhond, a village around 16 km east of Bhuj, in the presence of board of directors of Sarhad Dairy (Kutch District Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation), GCMMF in charge managing director Jayen Mehta, GCMMF general manager Hemant Gauni and distributors of Amul.
“The GCMMF has taken a very positive step to start a dedicated branch for the Kutch region, which will increase the availability of Amul products,” a GCMMF release quoted Humbal as saying.
Valamji Humbal (extreme left) during the inauguration of Amul branch office in Lakhond on Saturday. (Express File Photo)
Humbal is also the chairman of Sarhad Dairy, one of the member unions of GCMMF. This is the seventh branch of GCMMF in Gujarat. The dairy behemoth, which is the largest FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) entity in terms of annual turnover in value terms, has now 85 branches in India and one in Dubai.
This new branch will cater to Kutch, Surendranagar and Morbi districts, the statement said, adding that the new branch will ensure the distribution of the entire range of Amul’s dairy products, ice cream, chocolates, potato-based snacks, organic products and edible oil.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Mehta said, “Sales happen of those products, which are available in the market or are perceived to be available in the market. What we need to do is get closer to the customers. Our new branch will increase availability of our whole range of products – 50 categories of products and around 1,050 packings – in Kutch.”
Most Read
Jawan box office collection day 9: Shah Rukh Khan-Atlee film is outpacing Pathaan, crosses Rs 735 crore mark worldwide
“Selling a false dream”: Indian students abroad open up about mental health issues
The GCMMF already has its branch offices with warehouses in Ahmedabad, Anand, Surat, Mehsana, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. So far, the Rajkot branch used to cater to Kutch, which accounts for around 24 per cent of the geographical area of Gujarat.
For its branch office, GCMMF has taken on long-lease the premises of the old plant of Sarhad Dairy.
Mehta said warehouses have been set up for storing products like milk powder and ghee at room temperature as well as frozen products. He added that there are approximately 2,000 retailers of Amul products, 25,00 retailers of milk and 32 Amul parlours in Kutch.
Sarhad Dairy had shifted its milk processing operations to its new plant in Chandrani village of Anjar taluka in Kutch last year. Since then, its old plant at Lakhond had seen limited activity.
