Mother Dairy Unveils India's First Degradable Milk Pouch

Mother Dairy launches India's first naturally degradable milk pouch, a significant step towards eco-friendly packaging and reducing plastic waste in the environment.

Mother Dairy on Tuesday introduced an innovative milk pouch that is naturally degradable in soil as part of its commitment towards environment and sustainability.

Mother Dairy, one of the leading fresh milk suppliers in India, sells around 55 lakh litre of milk per day across many states.

At a press conference here, Mother Dairy "unveiled India's FIRST naturally degradable milk pouch in soil" that would leave no trace of plastics in the environment.

Eco-Friendly Milk Pouch Rollout

To begin with, the company will use this new degradable milk pouch in its cow milk variant sold across Delhi-NCR from June 5, the World Environment Day.

Mother Dairy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Mother Dairy said its new milk pouch uses a first-of-its-kind degradable packaging innovation that enables the material to transform into bioavailable wax, which is naturally broken down by microbes present in the soil to turn it into natural elements.

Benefits of Degradable Packaging

"The newly introduced packaging is designed to naturally degrade in soil within a few years rather than centuries, and importantly, this transition is being undertaken without any impact on consumer milk prices," Meenesh Shah, Chairman of NDDB, said.

Mother Dairy is committed to safeguarding the planet, he said.

"The launch of India's first naturally degradable milk pouch by Mother Dairy is yet another milestone reflecting the sector's continued ability to lead and set new benchmarks, while remaining committed to a future-ready and sustainable ecosystem," Shah said.

Research and Development Efforts

Jayatheertha Chary, Managing Director of Mother Dairy, said, " We undertook over four years of research to develop a naturally degradable milk pouch that leaves no trace of plastics in the environment."

While these milk pouches will continue to remain recyclable, he said the key differentiator lies in their ability to degrade into natural elements, thereby helping address the challenge of fugitive plastic.

Mother Dairy, which was commissioned in 1974, manufactures, markets & sells milk and milk products including cultured products, ice creams, paneer, ghee, etc. under the 'Mother Dairy' brand.

The company also has a diversified portfolio with products in edible oils under the 'Dhara' brand and fresh fruits & vegetables, frozen vegetables & snacks, pulps & concentrates, etc. under the 'Safal' brand.