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{{short description|Indian state government cooperative}}
{{short description|Indian state government owned dairy cooperative society}}
{{About|the cooperative|the ancient city of gobar of Āmul along the Oxus|Türkmenabat|the city in Iran |Amol}}
{{About|the cooperative}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{copyedit|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name         = Amul
| name = Anand Milk Union Limited
| logo         = Amul official logo.svg
| trading_name = '''Amul Coop'''
| logo_size     = 250
| native_name = The [[Kaira District]] Co-Opp Milk Producers Union Ltd.
| type         = [[Cooperative society]]
| logo = Amul official logo.svg
| industry     = {{plainlist|
| logo_size = 250
*[[Food processing]]
| type = [[Cooperative]]
*[[fast moving consumer goods|FMCG]]}}
| owner =
| products     = Dairy
| industry = [[Dairy]]
| foundation   = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1946}}
| products = Milk Products
| founder       = [[Tribhuvandas Patel]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1946|12|14}}
| location     = [[Anand, Gujarat]], India
| founder = [[Tribhuvandas Patel]]
| area_served   = Worldwide
| location = [[Anand, Gujarat]], India
| key_people   = Rupinder Singh Sodhi<br/>(Managing Director)<ref>{{cite news |title=Shri Amit Vyas – NDDB Foundation for Nutrition |url=https://www.nfn.org.in/shri-rs-sodhi |access-date=30 March 2019 |work=www.nfn.org.in}}</ref>
| area_served = Worldwide
| revenue      = {{profit}} {{INRConvert|386|b}}<ref name="amul.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.amul.com/files/pdf/Final_English-GCMMF_sales_Turnover-2019-2020_1st_April_2020.pdf|title=Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (AMUL) achieves turnover of Rs. 52000 crore 7billion croreswith 17% growth|work=Amul|access-date=1 April 2020}}</ref>
| key_people = Ashok Chaudhary (Chairman)
| revenue_year  = 2020
| revenue = {{profit}} {{INRConvert|90000|c}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Amul's revenue rises to Rs 90,000 cr in FY25, up from Rs 80,000 cr in FY24 |url=http://bestmediainfo.com/mediainfo/mediainfo-marketing/amuls-revenue-rises-to-rs-90000-cr-in-fy25-up-from-rs-80000-cr-in-fy24-8919731 |access-date=3 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
| owner        = [[Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation]], [[Government of Gujarat|Ministry of Cooperation]], [[Government of Gujarat]]
| revenue_year = 2025
| num_employees = 1,000 (Marketing Arm) <br /> 3.6&nbsp;million (3.6&nbsp;million) (Milk producing members)<ref name="amul.com"/>
| num_employees = 1,000 (officers and employees) <br /> 3.6&nbsp;million
| divisions     = *[[Banas Dairy]]
(milk producers)<ref name="amul.com">{{cite web|url=https://amul.com/files/pdf/English_Final_GCMMF_Press_Release_for_Annual_General_Meeting_on_18th_July_2020.pdf|title=Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (AMUL) achieves a turnover of Rs. 52000 crore 7billion crores with 17% growth|work=Amul|access-date=1 April 2020|archive-date=18 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918074747/https://amul.com/files/pdf/English_Final_GCMMF_Press_Release_for_Annual_General_Meeting_on_18th_July_2020.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Dudhsagar Dairy]]
| divisions = *[Kaira District Co-Opp Milk Producers Union Ltd.
| website       = {{URL|https://amul.com/|amul.com}}
*[[Banas Dairy]]
* [[Dudhsagar Dairy]]
| website = {{URL|https://amul.com/|amul.com}}
}}
}}


'''Amul''' is an Indian [[dairy]] [[cooperative society]], based at [[Anand, Gujarat|Anand]] in [[Gujarat]].<ref>Alexander Fraser Laidlaw. ''Cooperatives and the Poor''. A development study prepared for the International Cooperative Alliance and the Canadian International Development Agency, 1977. </ref>
The '''Anand Milk Union Limited''', commonly known as '''Amul''', is an Indian dairy brand owned by the [[cooperative|cooperative society]], '''Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)''', based in [[Anand, Gujarat]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Laidlaw |first=Alexander Fraser |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GBvtAAAAMAAJ |title=Cooperatives and the Poor: A View from Within the Cooperative Movement : a Development Study Prepared for the International Cooperative Alliance and the Canadian International Development Agency |date=1977 |language=en |access-date=11 March 2023 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404052238/https://books.google.com/books?id=GBvtAAAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Govind |last2=Rosencranz |first2=Armin |date=2021-10-20 |title=Cows and their milk |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/cows-and-their-milk-1503020618.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103142210/https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/cows-and-their-milk-1503020618.html |archive-date=3 January 2023 |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]] |language=en-US}}</ref> GCMMF is controlled by 3.6 million milk producers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Reeta |title=General Management Review |url=http://www.etgmr.com/GMRjan-mar04/art7.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040302120048/http://www.etgmr.com/GMRjan-mar04/art7.html |archive-date=2004-03-02 |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=www.etgmr.com}}</ref>
Formed in 1946, it is a cooperative brand managed by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), which today is jointly controlled by 36&nbsp;[[lakh]] milk producers in Gujarat, and the apex body of 13 district milk unions, spread across 13,000 villages of Gujarat.<ref>[http://www.etgmr.com/GMRjan-mar04/art7.html The Amul Story – General Management Review]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051204084731/http://www.etgmr.com/GMRjan-mar04/art7.html |date=4 December 2005 }}</ref>
Amul spurred [[White Revolution (India)|India's White Revolution]], which made the country the world's largest producer of milk and milk products.<ref>[http://www.indiadairy.com/ind_world_number_one_milk_producer.html indiadairy.com]. indiadairy.com. Retrieved on 29 November 2015.</ref>


Kaira Union introduced the brand “Amul” for marketing its product range. The word “Amul” is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Amulya’ which means ‘priceless’ or precious, a name proposed by the founding leader of Agriculture College, [[Maganbhai Ramchhodbhai Patel|Maganbhai Patel]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/the-amul-trinity/article23030592.ece |title=The Amul trinity |last=DAMODARAN|first=HARISH |date=13 September 2012 |website=thehindubusinessline.com |publisher= |access-date=13 January 2021 |quote=The original credit goes to Dalaya — something that Kurien always acknowledged, and reiterated when the former passed away on September 12, 2004. While Patel dealt with the farmers, and Dalaya took charge of the technical and internal affairs of the dairy, “my role was only in marketing, external affairs and handling politicians, bureaucrats and other establishment people," the ever-frank Kurien admitted at the time. In Anand, it was said that if Gupta was the Father of Amul, Kurien was the Son, and Dalaya the Holy Ghost.}}</ref>
[[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel]] founded the organisation in 1946 and served as its chairman until his retirement in the 1970s. He hired [[Verghese Kurien]] in 1949,<ref>{{cite book |last=Heredia |first=Ruth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TYEkjpYkHrMC&pg=PA65 |title=The Amul India Story |publisher=Tata Mc-Graw Hill |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-07-463160-7 |location=New Delhi |pages=65 |access-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309030608/https://books.google.com/books?id=TYEkjpYkHrMC&pg=PA65 |archive-date=9 March 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Misra |first=Udit |date=10 September 2012 |title=V. Kurien: India's White Knight |newspaper=Forbes India |url=http://forbesindia.com/article/special/v-kurien-indias-white-knight/33719/2 |url-status=live |access-date=11 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402160414/http://www.forbesindia.com/article/special/v-kurien-indias-white-knight/33719/2 |archive-date=2 April 2019}}</ref> initially as the general manager, where Kurien guided the technical and marketing efforts of the cooperative. Kurien briefly became the chairman of Amul following Patel's death in 1994, and is credited with the success of Amul's marketing.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dasgupta |first=Manas |date=9 September 2012 |title=Kurien strode like a titan across the bureaucratic barriers and obstacles |newspaper=The Hindu |location=Chennai, India |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3877337.ece |url-status=live |access-date=13 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912032719/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3877337.ece |archive-date=12 September 2012}}</ref>


[[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel]] under the guidance of [[Vallabhbhai Patel|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]] became the founding chairman of the organization and led it until his retirement in the 70s. He hired [[Verghese Kurien]] in 1949 and convinced him to stay and help with the mission.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TYEkjpYkHrMC&pg=PA65|title=The Amul India Story|last=Heredia|first=Ruth|publisher=Tata Mc-Graw Hill|year=1997|isbn=978-0-07-463160-7|location=New Delhi|pages=65}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://forbesindia.com/article/special/v-kurien-indias-white-knight/33719/2|title=V. Kurien: India's White Knight|last=Misra|first=Udit|date=10 September 2012|newspaper=Forbes India|access-date=11 September 2012}}</ref> Under the chairmanship of Tribhuvandas, Kurien was initially the general manager and helped guide the technical and marketing efforts of Amul. Kurien was the chairman of Amul briefly after Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel died in 1994. Kurien, founder-chairman of the GCMMF for more than 30 years (1973–2006), is credited with the success of Amul's marketing.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dasgupta|first=Manas|title=Kurien strode like a titan across the bureaucratic barriers and obstacles |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3877337.ece|access-date=13 September 2012|newspaper=The Hindu |date=9 September 2012|location=Chennai, India}}</ref>
Amul spurred [[White revolution (India)|India's White Revolution]], which made the country the world's largest producer of milk and milk products,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dairy Articles |url=https://indiadairy.com/dairy-articles/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=IndiaDairy |language=en-US |archive-date=9 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309203116/https://indiadairy.com/dairy-articles/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and has since ventured into overseas markets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/amuls-worlds-biggest-vegetarian-cheese-brand/articleshow/1288927.cms|title=Amul's world's biggest vegetarian cheese brand exports cheese to the US, Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong with sales estimated to touch 600 tonne in 2005|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=1 July 2020|last1=Srinivas|first1=Nidhi Nath|archive-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005134854/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/amuls-worlds-biggest-vegetarian-cheese-brand/articleshow/1288927.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>


Amul has ventured into overseas markets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/amuls-worlds-biggest-vegetarian-cheese-brand/articleshow/1288927.cms|title=Amul's world's biggest vegetarian cheese brand exports cheese to the US, Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong with sales estimated to touch 600 tonne in 2005|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=1 July 2020|last1=Srinivas|first1=Nidhi Nath}}</ref>
==History==
 
[[File:2_The-Amul-trinity_Kurien_Shri-TK-Patel_HM_Dalaya.jpg|thumbnail|250px |[[Verghese Kurien]], [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel]], and [[Harichand Megha Dalaya]]]]
Amul was founded on 14 December 1946 as a response to the exploitation of small dairy farmers by traders and agents. At the time, milk prices were arbitrarily determined, giving [[Polson (brand)|Polson]] an effective monopoly in milk collection from Kaira and its subsequent supply to [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=George |first=Shanti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dbI6AAAAMAAJ |title=Operation Flood: An Appraisal of Current Indian Dairy Policy |date=1985 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-561679-8 |language=en |access-date=9 March 2023 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404052239/https://books.google.com/books?id=dbI6AAAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ruth">{{cite book |last=Heredia |first=Ruth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TYEkjpYkHrMC |title=The Amul India story |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill |year=1997 |location=New Delhi|isbn=9780074631607 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title= Story of Cooperation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9DTUn4Bz4E|date=20 September 2025}} </ref>
 
Frustrated with the trade practices (which they perceived as unfair), the farmers of Kaira, led by [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel]], approached [[Vallabhbhai Patel]], who advised them to form a cooperative. If they did so, they would be able to directly supply their milk to the Bombay Milk Scheme instead of working for Polson.<ref name=tehelka>{{cite news|last=Suhrud|first=Tridip|author-link=Tridip Suhrud|title=The magic of manthan|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=op040806the_magic.asp|access-date=2 February 2011|newspaper=Tehelka|date=8 April 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111211535/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=op040806the_magic.asp|archive-date=11 November 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sardar Patel sent [[Morarji Desai]] to organise the farmers.<ref name="Ruth" />
 
Following a meeting in [[Chaklasi]], the farmers formed the cooperative and resolved not to provide Polson with any more milk.<ref name="tehelka" /> Milk collection was decentralised, as most producers were marginal farmers who could deliver, at most, 1–2 litres of milk per day. Cooperatives were formed for each village.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Thapar |first=Romila |title=Seminar, Issues 497–508 |journal=Seminar|year=2001}}</ref>
 
The cooperative was strict that any farmer could become a member, irrespective of their religion, caste, gender, or political affiliation.<ref>{{cite book
|last1=Kurien
|first1=Verghese
|last2=Salvi
|first2=Gouri 
|title=I Too Had a Dream
|publisher=Roli Books 
|year=2005 
|isbn=978-81-7436-407-4 
|page=179
}}</ref>
 
By June 1948, the KDCMPUL had started pasteurising milk for the Bombay Milk Scheme. Then-Prime Minister [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] visited [[Anand, Gujarat|Anand]] to inaugurate Amul's cattle feed factory. On 31 October 1964, he spoke to farmers about their cooperative. After returning to Delhi, he set in motion the creation of an organisation, the [[National Dairy Development Board]] (NDDB), to replicate the Kaira cooperative in other parts of India. Under the leadership of Tribhuvandas Patel, in 1973, Amul celebrated its 25th anniversary with Morarji Desai, [[Maniben Patel]], and [[Verghese Kurien]].<ref name="Amul Reference2">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Sharad |title=Remembering Verghese Kurien – India's first milkman |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/remembering-verghese-kurien-indias-first-milkman/article30084051.ece |access-date=10 March 2021 |publisher=businessline |language=en |archive-date=21 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021222527/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/remembering-verghese-kurien-indias-first-milkman/article30084051.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The cooperative was further developed through the efforts of Verghese Kurien and [[Harichand Megha Dalaya|H. M. Dalaya]]. Dalaya's innovation of making [[Skimmed milk|skim milk]] powder from buffalo milk was a technological breakthrough that revolutionised India's organised dairy industry.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kurien |first=Verghese |title=Ending Poverty in South Asia: Ideas that work |year=2007 |publisher=The World Bank |location=Washington D.C., USA |isbn=978-0-8213-6876-3 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IV9m8gF6XDcC&pg=PA47 |chapter=India' s Milk Revolution: Investing in Rural Producer Organizations |editor=Narayan, Deepa |editor2=Glinskaya, Elena |access-date=13 January 2021 |page=47 |quote=If there was one technological breakthrough that revolutionized India's organized dairy industry, it was the making of skim milk powder out of buffalo milk. The man who made this possible and who had the foresight to defy the prevailing technical wisdom was H. M. Dalaya. |archive-date=9 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309030609/https://books.google.com/books?id=IV9m8gF6XDcC&pg=PA47 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
With Kurien's help, the process was expanded on a commercial scale, which led to the first modern dairy cooperative at Anand. This cooperative would go on to compete against the established players in the market.<ref name=epw>{{cite journal|title=Economic and political weekly, Volume 6, Part 4|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|year=1971|volume=6}}</ref>
 
The success of the trio (T. K. Patel, Kurien, and Dalaya) at the cooperative's dairy soon spread to Anand's neighbourhood in Gujarat. Within a short span, five unions in other districts—[[Mehsana]], [[Banaskantha district|Banaskantha]], [[Vadodara|Baroda]], [[Sabarkantha district|Sabarkantha]], and [[Surat]]—were set up, following the approach sometimes described as ''the Anand pattern''.<ref name=Ruth />
 
In 1970, the cooperative spearheaded the "[[White revolution (India)|White Revolution]]" of India. To combine forces and expand the market while saving on advertising and avoiding competing against each other, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd., an apex marketing body of these district cooperatives, was set up in 1973. The Kaira Union, which had the brand name Amul with it since 1955, transferred it to GCMMF. Technological developments at Amul have subsequently spread to other parts of India.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cheese Industry in India|publisher=Chillibreeze}}</ref>


==History==
In 1999, it was awarded the "Best of All" [[Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bis.org.in/other/rgnqa_win_12.pdf | title = Annex iv: list of award winners of Rajiv Gandhi national quality awards | last1 = Shrawan | date = 29 May 2013 | website = bis.org.in | publisher = Bureau of Indian Standards | location = New Delhi | access-date = 15 May 2014 | archive-date = 2 December 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141202153812/http://www.bis.org.in/other/rgnqa_win_12.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> In 2025, Amul was ranked third most valued brand in India in the YouGov India Value Rankings 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-06 |title=Amul ranked among India's most valued brands, the only FMCG in the top 3 list |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry-amul-ranked-among-indias-most-valued-brands-the-only-fmcg-in-the-top-3-list-3769863/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:2_The-Amul-trinity_Kurien_Shri-TK-Patel_HM_Dalaya.jpg|thumbnail|250px |
The Amul trinity: [[Verghese Kurien]], Shri [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel]], and [[Harichand Megha Dalaya]] ]]
[[File:1980 His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales HM Dalaya visits Amul 2.jpg |thumbnail|250px | [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles, Prince of Wales]], visits India and Amul with [[Harichand Megha Dalaya]], in December 1980 ]]
[[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurating the Amul’s ultra-modern Chocolate Plant, at Anand, Gujarat.JPG|thumbnail|250px|Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] inaugurating Amul's chocolate plant at Anand in September 2018.]]
Amul cooperative was registered on 19 December 1946, as a response to the exploitation of marginal milk producers by traders and agents in small cities. The prices of milk were arbitrarily determined at the time. The government had given [[Polson (brand)|Polson]] an effective monopoly in milk collection from Kaira and its subsequent supply to [[Mumbai]].<ref name=Polson>{{cite book|last=George|first=Shanti|title=Operation flood: an appraisal of current Indian pairy policy|year=1985|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Delhi|isbn=978-0-19-561679-8}}</ref><ref name=Ruth>{{cite book|last=Heredia|first=Ruth|title=The Amul India story|year=1997|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill|location=New Delhi}}</ref>


Angered by the unfair trade practices, the farmers of Kaira approached [[Vallabhbhai Patel|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]] under the leadership of local farmer leader [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel|Tribhuvandas K. Patel]]. He advised them to form a cooperative (Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union) and supply milk directly to the Bombay Milk Scheme instead of Polson (who did the same but gave them low prices).<ref name=tehelka>{{cite news|last=Suhrud|first=Tridip|author-link=Tridip Suhrud|title=The magic of manthan|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=op040806the_magic.asp|access-date=2 February 2011|newspaper=Tehelka|date=8 April 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111211535/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=op040806the_magic.asp|archive-date=11 November 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> He sent [[Morarji Desai]] to organize the farmers. In 1946, the milk farmers of the area went on a strike which led to the setting up of the cooperative to collect and process milk.<ref name=Ruth /> Milk collection was decentralized, as most producers were marginal farmers who could deliver, at most, 1–2 liters of milk per day. Cooperatives were formed for each village, too.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Thapar |first=Romila |title=Seminar, Issues 497–508 |journal=Seminar|year=2001}}</ref> By June 1948, the KDCMPUL had started pasteurizing milk for the ''Bombay Milk Scheme''. Then-Prime Minister [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] visited [[Anand, Gujarat|Anand]] to inaugurate Amul's cattle feed factory. On 31 October 1964, and sporganizationin the village and spoke to farmers about their cooperative and after returning to Delhi, he set in motion the creation of an organization, the [[National Dairy Development Board]] (NDDB), to replicate the Kaira cooperative in other parts of India.<ref name="Amul Reference2">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Sharad |title=Remembering Verghese Kurien – India's first milkman |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/remembering-verghese-kurien-indias-first-milkman/article30084051.ece |access-date=10 March 2021 |publisher=businessline |language=en}}</ref> Under the leadership of [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel|Tribhuvandas Patel]], in 1973, Amul celebrated its 25th Anniversary with [[Morarji Desai]], [[Maniben Patel]], and [[Verghese Kurien]].
==Organisation: Three tiers of hierarchical co-operative societies==
{{anchor| Org | Organisation | Organization | Tier | Tiers | Hierarchy | Hierarchical  }}


Under the leadership of [[Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel|Tribhuvandas Patel]], the cooperative was further developed through the efforts of [[Verghese Kurien]] and [[Harichand Megha Dalaya|H. M. Dalaya]]. Dalaya's innovation of making [[Skimmed milk|skim milk]] powder from buffalo milk was a technological breakthrough that revolutionized India's organized dairy industry.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kurien |first=Verghese |title=Ending Poverty in South Asia: Ideas that work |year=2007 |publisher=(The World Bank) |location=Washington D.C., USA |isbn= 978-0-8213-6876-3 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IV9m8gF6XDcC&pg=PA47 |chapter=India' s Milk Revolution: Investing in Rural Producer Organizations|editor=Narayan, Deepa |editor2=Glinskaya, Elena|access-date=13 January 2021 |page=47 |quote=If there was one technological breakthrough that revolutionized India's organized dairy industry, it was the making of skim milk powder out of buffalo milk. The man who made this possible and who had the foresight to defy the prevailing technical wisdom was H. M. Dalaya.}}</ref>
Amul operates on a [[Cooperative movement in India|three-tier co-operative society model]] of dairy development is a structure, where milk producers form the village level dairy cooperative societies, federated under a milk union at the district level which are further federation as member unions at the state level. Amul at village and district level is managed by the elected officials. The three-tiered structure, known as the '''"Anand Pattern of co-operative societies"''', has the following hierarchical levels:<ref name=proft1>[https://amul.com/m/about-us About AMul], Amul, accessed 19 Sept 2025.</ref>


With Kurien's help, the process was expanded on a commercial scale which led to the first modern dairy of the cooperative at Anand. This cooperative would go on to compete against established players in the market.<ref name=epw>{{cite journal|title=Economic and political weekly, Volume 6, Part 4|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|year=1971|volume=6}}</ref>
# '''Village level society''' - '''Village Dairy Cooperative Society''' ('''VDCS'''): Milk producers in a village come together to form this primary society, which collects surplus milk and provides support services to its members. Members elect the management council, i.e. village level societies are self-managed by the elected members.
# '''District level union of societies''' - '''District Cooperative Milk Producers Union''' ('''DCMPU''') or '''Dugdh Sangh''': Village-level societies within a district become members of a district milk union, which is responsible for procuring, processing, and transporting milk. Each village level council with one vote each is member of district level union and they elect the district level council, i.e. district level unions are self-managed by the elected members. [[Banas Dairy]] of [[ Banaskantha district]] and [[Dudhsagar Dairy]] of [[Mehsana district]] in Gujarat are examples of district level union of societies.
# '''State level federation of state level unions''' - '''State Cooperative Milk Federation''' ('''SCMF'''): The district milk unions within a state are federated under a state-level organization. This federation is in charge of marketing and distributing milk and milk products. In the case of Amul, the state federation is the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF). Each district level union with one vote each is a member of state level union and they elect the state level council. The elected state level federation's elected council hires the corporate-style outsider professionals managers to run the operation to give it the professional competitive edge.<ref name=proft1/>


The trio's (T. K. Patel, Kurien, and [[Harichand Megha Dalaya|Dalaya's]]) success at the cooperative's dairy soon spread to Anand's neighborhood in Gujarat. Within a short span, five unions in other districts – [[Mehsana]], [[Banaskantha district|Banaskantha]], [[Vadodara|Baroda]], [[Sabarkantha district|Sabarkantha,]] and [[Surat]] – were set up, following the approach sometimes described as the Anand pattern.<ref name=Ruth />
* Not part of Amul structure: There are other co-operative societies in India with 4 layers which also have 4th level at national level, such as '''National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India''' ('''NCDFI''')
**4. '''National level federation of state level federations''': While Amul has 3-tier statewide structure across Gujarat state only, there are other national-level cooperative dairy organizations in India. The National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI) is the apex body for the country's cooperative dairy sector and is based in Anand city in Gujarat. Amul and various state-level milk co-operative of respective states are members of NCDFI, such as [[Haryana Dairy Development Cooperative Federation Ltd]] (sells products under ''"Vita"'' brand), [[Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation]], [[Karnataka Milk Federation]], [[Mother Dairy]] in Delhi, etc. All these were developed with the help of [[National Dairy Development Board]]. Similarly, there are [[Amul#Coop|several other hierarchical co-operative societies in India]] focused on various other products, such as [[Coffee Board of India|coffee]], [[Coconut Development Board|Cocconut]], [[Coir Board of India|coir]], [[Spices Board of India|spices]], [[Tea Board of India|tea]], and many more.


In 1970, it spearheaded the "[[Operation Flood|White Revolution]]" of India. To combine forces and expand the market while saving on advertising and avoid competing against each other, the [[Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.]], an apex marketing body of these district cooperatives, was set up in 1973. The Kaira Union, which had the brand name Amul with it since 1955, transferred it to GCMMF.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cheese Industry in India|publisher=Chillibreeze}}</ref>
==Processing==


In 1999, it was awarded the "''Best of all''" Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bis.org.in/other/rgnqa_win_12.pdf | title = Annex iv: list of award winners of Rajiv Gandhi national quality awards | last1 = Shrawan | date = 29 May 2013 | website=bis.org.in | publisher = Bureau of Indian Standards | location = New Delhi | access-date = 15 May 2014}}</ref>
Amul has several plants for processing dairy products.  


Technological developments at Amul have subsequently spread to other parts of India.
In 2025, Amul's Sabar Dairy Plant at [[Haryana_State_Industrial_and_Infrastructure_Development_Corporation#Industrial_estates_and_townships|IMT Rohtak]] in [[Haryana]] state was expanded making it India's largest processing plant for curd, buttermilk, and yoghurt catering for the Haryana, Delhi-NCR, and northern India region. In 2025, every day it processes 150 mt (metric ton) curd, 10 mt yoghurt, 10 mt sweets, and 3 mt of buttermilk. In 2025, [[Central_Institute_for_Research_on_Buffaloes#Milk_products|Haryana was India's third largest producer of milk]] (122.2 lakh tonnes per year) with highest per capita milk availability in India (1,105 grams per day).<ref>[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/sabar-dairy-expansion-a-milestone-for-haryana-amit-shah-10285640/ Sabar Dairy expansion a milestone for Haryana: Amit Shah], Indian Express, 3 Oct 2025.</ref>


The GCMMF is the largest food products marketing organization in India. It is the apex organization of the dairy cooperatives of Gujarat. It is the exclusive marketing organization for products under the brand name Amul and Sagar.
==Partnerships==
Over the last five and a half decades, dairy cooperatives in Gujarat have created an economic network that links more than 3.1&nbsp;million (3.1&nbsp; million) village milk products with [[crore]]s of consumers in India. In 2007, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd crossed US$ 1 billion in its sales turnover and entered the elite club of food companies having this distinction from India.<ref name="Amul Reference3">{{cite news |title=GCMMF Milk Procurement Crosses 100 Lakh Kgs Per Day |url=https://www.businesswireindia.com/gcmmf-milk-procurement-crosses-100-lakh-kgs-per-day-14686.html |access-date=12 March 2021 |publisher=www.businesswireindia.com |date=28 December 2007 |language=en}}</ref> In one more major achievement, the dairy cooperatives of Gujarat under the GCMMF fold crossed milk procurement of 10&nbsp;million kgs. per day mark on 27 December 2007, which is the highest ever milk procurement achieved by any dairy network in India, be it private or cooperative and the entire quantity of milk received was accepted without any milk holidays and was processed successfully into milk and other milk products.<ref name="Amul Reference3" />


On 30 September 2018, Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] inaugurated Amul's chocolate plant in Mogar, Anand near their headquarters. The new plant has been built with an increased capacity of 1,000 tonnes per month against the earlier 250 tonnes a month capacity. GCMMF has invested around ₹3&nbsp;billion in this project. It is a fully automated production factory with minimal human intervention.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/i7F7v2tZKO48EFENkXALgI/PM-Modi-inaugurates-LNG-terminal-chocolate-factory-in-Gujar.html|title=PM Modi inaugurates LNG terminal, chocolate factory in Gujarat|last=Pathak|first=Maulik|date=30 September 2018|work=Live Mint|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref>
Amul has entered into partnerships with cooperative organisations internationally. In May 2024, it signed an agreement to market Amul-branded fresh milk in the United States in collaboration with the Michigan Milk Producers Association, using locally produced milk and Amul formulations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Langa |first=Mahesh |title=Amul goes to U.S., partners Michigan milk producers’ body to sell fresh milk |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/amul-goes-to-us-partners-michigan-milk-producers-body-to-sell-fresh-milk/article68197242.ece |work=The Hindu |date=20 May 2024 |access-date=28 February 2026}}</ref>


==UHT products and impact==
In June 2025, the cooperative launched Amul milk in Spain through a partnership with a Spanish dairy cooperative.<ref>{{cite news |title=GCMMF launches Amul Milk in Spain |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/gcmmf-launches-amul-milk-in-spain/articleshow/121626489.cms |work=The Economic Times |date=4 June 2025 |access-date=28 February 2026}}</ref>
[[File: Amul Plant at Anand.jpg|thumb|The Amul plant at Anand, Gujarat shows the milk silos]]
==Marketing==
Over the years, Amul has been witnessing growth in this portfolio, with the segment growing at 53%. Long-life [[Ultra-high-temperature processing|UHT]] products for urban populations, like Amul Taaza, which are packed in [[Tetra Pak]] cartons undergo UHT treatment to remove all harmful micro-organisms while retaining the nutrition in the milk. Amul sells around {{formatnum:400000}}–{{formatnum:500000}} liters of UHT milk and other value-added products per day and forecasts this demand to continue growing at 25%. The UHT products have enabled Amul to position itself as the market leader in packaged milk segment without the need of maintaining cold supply chains.<ref>[http://in.news.yahoo.com/video/amul-uht-quest-zero-adulterated-064035504.html Amul UHT: On a Quest for Zero adulterated milk | Watch the video – Yahoo India] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102074816/http://in.news.yahoo.com/video/amul-uht-quest-zero-adulterated-064035504.html |date=2 January 2014 }}. In.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved on 29 November 2015.</ref>


==Advertising==
{{See also|Amul girl}}
{{See also|Amul girl}}
In 1966, Amul hired Sylvester da Cunha, the managing director of an advertising agency as to design an ad campaign for Amul Butter. DaCunha designed a campaign as a series of hoardings with topical ads, relating to day-to-day issues.<ref name="amulad">{{cite web|last=Varma|first=Mini|title=The moppet who put Amul on India's breakfast table |url=http://www.amul.com/story.html|publisher=Amul|access-date=2 February 2011}}</ref> It was popular and earned a Guinness World Record for the longest-running ad campaign in the world. In the 1980s, cartoon artist Kumar Morey and scriptwriter Bharat Dabholkar had been involved in sketching the Amul ads; the latter rejected the trend of using celebrities in advertisement campaigns. Dabholkar credited chairman Verghese Kurien with creating a free atmosphere that fostered the development of the ads.<ref name="hindudabholkar">{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Subha J.|title=Punch guru|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/12/15/stories/2007121551330100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108194414/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/12/15/stories/2007121551330100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 November 2012|access-date=2 February 2011|date=15 December 2007|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India}}</ref>
In 1966, Amul hired Sylvester daCunha, the managing director of an advertising agency, to design an ad campaign for Amul Butter. DaCunha created an operation consisting of a series of hoardings featuring topical ads related to day-to-day issues.<ref name="amulad">{{cite web|last=Varma|first=Mini|title=The moppet who put Amul on India's breakfast table|url=http://www.amul.com/story.html|publisher=Amul|access-date=2 February 2011|archive-date=13 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613085925/http://www.amul.com/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was popular and earned a Guinness World Record for the longest-running ad campaign in the world. In the 1980s, cartoon artist Kumar Morey and scriptwriter Bharat Dabholkar were involved in sketching the Amul ads; the latter rejected the trend of using celebrities in advertisement campaigns. Dabholkar credited chairman Verghese Kurien with creating a free atmosphere that fostered the development of the ads.<ref name="hindudabholkar">{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Subha J.|title=Punch guru|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/12/15/stories/2007121551330100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108194414/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/12/15/stories/2007121551330100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 November 2012|access-date=2 February 2011|date=15 December 2007|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India}}</ref>


Despite encountering political pressure on several occasions, DaCunha's agency has made it a policy of not backing down. Some of the more controversial Amul ads include one commenting on the Naxalite uprising in West Bengal, on the Indian Airlines employees' strike, and one depicting the Amul girl wearing a Gandhi cap.
Despite encountering political pressure on several occasions, daCunha's agency has made it a policy not to back down. Some of the more controversial Amul ads include one commenting on the Naxalite uprising in West Bengal, one on the Indian Airlines employees' strike, and one depicting the Amul girl wearing a Gandhi cap.


In 2013, Amul tweeted a picture featuring the [[Amul girl|Amul butter girl]], implying that "freedom of choice" died in 2013, in opposition to the [[Supreme Court of India]] overruling the judgment of the [[Delhi High Court]] and criminalizing homosexuality again.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Brands-peek-out-of-the-closet/articleshow/27248253.cms | work=The Times Of India | title=Brands peek out of the closet – The Times of India}}</ref>
In 2013, Amul tweeted a picture featuring the [[Amul girl|Amul Butter Girl]], implying that "freedom of choice" died in 2013, in opposition to the [[Supreme Court of India]] overruling the judgment of the [[Delhi High Court|High Court of Delhi]] and criminalising [[homosexuality]] again.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Brands-peek-out-of-the-closet/articleshow/27248253.cms | work=The Times of India | title=Brands peek out of the closet – The Times of India | access-date=28 March 2014 | archive-date=13 December 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213015210/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Brands-peek-out-of-the-closet/articleshow/27248253.cms | url-status=live }}</ref>


On 17 October 2016, Amul butter girl celebrated 50 years since she first appeared in the topical ad titled "Thoroughbread". The ad showed a jockey holding a slice of bread during the horse race season in 1966. The impish Amul girl had appeared for the first time even before that, with Eustace Fernandez showing her offering bedtime prayers with a wink and a lick of lips, saying "Give us this day our daily bread: with Amul butter".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newskarnataka.com/from-the-web/in-pics-fifty-years-on-amuls-utterly-butterly-girl-is-still-a-delight|title=In pics Fifty years on, Amul's 'utterly butterly' girl is still a delight |publisher=NewsKarnataka|date=17 October 2016}}</ref>
On 17 October 2016, the Amul Butter Girl celebrated 50 years since she first appeared in the topical ad, titled "Thoroughbred". The ad showed a jockey holding a slice of bread during the horse race season in 1966. The impish Amul girl had appeared for the first time even before that, with Eustace Fernandez showing her offering bedtime prayers with a wink and a lick of lips, saying "Give us this day our daily bread: with Amul butter".<ref>{{cite web |date=16 October 2016 |title=In pics Fifty years on, Amul's 'utterly butterly' girl is still a delight |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-pics-fifty-years-on-amul-s-utterly-butterly-girl-is-still-a-delight/story-jY5tN55PJQh6b5Ftcbzb5J.html |website=Hindustan Times |publisher= |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-date=23 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123145835/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-pics-fifty-years-on-amul-s-utterly-butterly-girl-is-still-a-delight/story-jY5tN55PJQh6b5Ftcbzb5J.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


Their Ad on ''Aagey Badhta Hai India'' had an excellent response from the audience. It spoke about how their Milk is seen as a household product with a catchy tune associated with it. It has over 39 lakh (~4&nbsp;million) views on YouTube.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zIQTwukIDyg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200708195023/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIQTwukIDyg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=Amul The Taste of India|title=Amul Milk – Aage Badta Hai India|date=10 July 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIQTwukIDyg|access-date=9 April 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Their ad on ''Aagey Badhta Hai India'' had an excellent response from the audience. It spoke about how their milk is seen as a household product, with a catchy tune associated with it. It has over 39 lakh (3.9&nbsp;million) views on YouTube.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zIQTwukIDyg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200708195023/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIQTwukIDyg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=Amul The Taste of India|title=Amul Milk – Aage Badta Hai India|date=10 July 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIQTwukIDyg|access-date=9 April 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


In February 2020, Amul posted a picture of the Amul girl treating [[Joaquin Phoenix]] with butter after his academy award win for his role in the 2019 film, [[Joker (2019 film)|Joker]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=|date=12 February 2020|title=Amul smears butter on vegan Joaquin Phoenix's face in an ad celebrating Oscar win, gets slammed by PETA|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/amul-smears-butter-on-vegan-joaquin-phoenix-s-face-in-ad-celebrating-oscar-win-gets-slammed-by-peta/story-Fx77XbHBFcolop5LYcY7mM.html|url-status=live|access-date=3 May 2021|website=Hindustan Times|publisher=Indo Asian News Service|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212132923/https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/amul-smears-butter-on-vegan-joaquin-phoenix-s-face-in-ad-celebrating-oscar-win-gets-slammed-by-peta/story-Fx77XbHBFcolop5LYcY7mM.html |archive-date=12 February 2020 }}</ref> Since Phoenix is a vegan, Amul faced criticism from vegans in India and PETA for the poor knowledge of his vegan activism and life.
In February 2020, Amul posted a picture of the Amul girl treating [[Joaquin Phoenix]] with butter after his academy award win for his role in the 2019 film, [[Joker (2019 film)|''Joker'']].<ref>{{cite web |date=12 February 2020 |title=Amul smears butter on vegan Joaquin Phoenix's face in an ad celebrating Oscar win, gets slammed by PETA |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/amul-smears-butter-on-vegan-joaquin-phoenix-s-face-in-ad-celebrating-oscar-win-gets-slammed-by-peta/story-Fx77XbHBFcolop5LYcY7mM.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212132923/https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/amul-smears-butter-on-vegan-joaquin-phoenix-s-face-in-ad-celebrating-oscar-win-gets-slammed-by-peta/story-Fx77XbHBFcolop5LYcY7mM.html |archive-date=12 February 2020 |access-date=3 May 2021 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |publisher=Indo Asian News Service |language=en}}</ref> Since Phoenix is a vegan, Amul faced criticism from vegans in India and PETA for the poor knowledge of his vegan activism and life.


Amul posted a picture of its mascot Butter Girl celebrating with PV Sindhu for winning the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chadda|first=Shivam|date=16 December 2019|title=The Curious Case of Amul – How the brand came into existence|url=https://www.brandzwatch.com/amul-how-the-brand-came-into-existence/|access-date=2 August 2021|website=Brandzwatch|language=en}}</ref>
In July 2024, Amul featured [[Maya Neelakantan]], a ten-year-old guitar prodigy who auditioned for [[America's Got Talent season 19|''America's Got Talent'' season 19]] in June 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baruah |first=Akashdeep |date=2024-07-08 |title=Amul pays tribute to 'Rock Goddess' Maya Neelakantan - CNBC TV18 |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/entertainment/amul-tribute-rock-goddess-maya-neelakantan-americas-got-talent-papa-roach-last-resort-19439882.htm |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=CNBCTV18 |language=en}}</ref>


==In popular culture==
==In popular culture==
The establishment of Amul is known as the [[Operation Flood|White Revolution]].
The White Revolution inspired filmmaker [[Shyam Benegal]] to base his 1976 film ''[[Manthan]]'' on it. The film was financed by over five lakh (half a million) rural farmers in Gujarat, who contributed ₹2 each to its budget. Upon its release, these farmers went in truckloads to watch 'their' film, making it a commercial success.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-08 |title=Phalke award for Benegal |url=http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?section=Movies&id=ENTEN20070021927 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719065444/http://www.ndtvmovies.com/movie_Story.aspx?id=ENTEN20070021927&keyword=&subcatg= |archive-date=2011-07-19 |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=[[NDTV]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manas: Culture, Indian Cinema- Shyam Benegal |url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Cinema/Benegal.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805163057/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Cinema/Benegal.html |archive-date=2012-08-05 |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=www.sscnet.ucla.edu}}</ref> ''Manthan'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Hindi Feature Film]] during the [[24th National Film Awards]] in 1977.


The White Revolution inspired the notable Indian filmmaker [[Shyam Benegal]] to base his film ''[[Manthan]]'' (1976) on it. The film was financed by over five lakh (half a million) rural farmers in Gujarat who contributed ₹2 each to its budget. Upon its release, these farmers went in truckloads to watch 'their' film, making it a commercial success.<ref>[http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?section=Movies&id=ENTEN20070021927 NDTV movies] ''NDTV''.</ref><ref>[http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Cinema/Benegal.html Shyam Benegal at ucla.net] ''South Asia Studies'', ''University of California, Los Angeles'' (UCLA).</ref> ''Manthan'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi]] during the [[24th National Film Awards]]
== See also ==
in 1977.


== Recognition ==
* Other milk cooperatives in India
In August 2019, Amul became the first Indian dairy company to enter [[Rabobank]]'s Global Top 20 Dairy Companies list.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amul becomes first Indian dairy company to be in Rabobank's Global Top 20 list; Nestle leads |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/amul-becomes-first-indian-dairy-company-to-be-in-rabobanks-global-top-20-list-nestle-leads/2069079/lite/ |publisher=[[The Financial Express (India)]] |date=29 August 2020}}</ref>
** [[Aavin]], of Tamil Nadu state
** [[Haryana Dairy Development Cooperative Federation Ltd|Vita]], of Haryana state
** ** [[Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation|Milma]], of Kerala


== See also ==
{{anchor|Coop}}
* [[Aavin]] is a statutory corporation and the trademark of Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation Limited. Aavin procures milk, processes it, and sells milk and milk products to consumers.
* [[Cooperative movement in India]]
* [[Anikspray]] is a competitive brand developed by Lipton and HLL, and later sold to other companies.
** [[Coffee Board of India]]
** [[Coconut Development Board]]
** [[Coir Board of India]]
** [[Spices Board of India]]
** [[Tea Board of India]]


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Amul}}
{{Commons category|Amul}}
* {{Official}}
* {{Official|https://amul.com/|name=Official website}}
 
{{Dairy Industry in India}}
[[Category:Cooperatives in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Cooperatives in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1946]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1946]]
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[[Category:Dairy farming in India]]
[[Category:Dairy farming in India]]
[[Category:Agricultural cooperatives in India]]
[[Category:Agricultural cooperatives in India]]
[[Category:Asian chocolate bars]]

Latest revision as of 09:12, 10 March 2026


This article is about the cooperative. For other uses, see Amul (disambiguation).

Anand Milk Union Limited
Amul Coop
Native name
The Kaira District Co-Opp Milk Producers Union Ltd.
IndustryDairy
Founded14 December 1946; 79 years ago (1946-12-14)
Founder(s)Tribhuvandas Patel
HeadquartersAnand, Gujarat, India
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Ashok Chaudhary (Chairman)
ProductsMilk Products
RevenueIncrease ₹90,000 crore (US$13 billion)[1] (2025)
Number of employees
1,000 (officers and employees)
3.6 million (milk producers)[2]
Divisions
Websiteamul.com

The Anand Milk Union Limited, commonly known as Amul, is an Indian dairy brand owned by the cooperative society, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), based in Anand, Gujarat.[3][4] GCMMF is controlled by 3.6 million milk producers.[5]

Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel founded the organisation in 1946 and served as its chairman until his retirement in the 1970s. He hired Verghese Kurien in 1949,[6][7] initially as the general manager, where Kurien guided the technical and marketing efforts of the cooperative. Kurien briefly became the chairman of Amul following Patel's death in 1994, and is credited with the success of Amul's marketing.[8]

Amul spurred India's White Revolution, which made the country the world's largest producer of milk and milk products,[9] and has since ventured into overseas markets.[10]

History[edit | edit source]

Verghese Kurien, Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, and Harichand Megha Dalaya

Amul was founded on 14 December 1946 as a response to the exploitation of small dairy farmers by traders and agents. At the time, milk prices were arbitrarily determined, giving Polson an effective monopoly in milk collection from Kaira and its subsequent supply to Mumbai.[11][12][13]

Frustrated with the trade practices (which they perceived as unfair), the farmers of Kaira, led by Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, approached Vallabhbhai Patel, who advised them to form a cooperative. If they did so, they would be able to directly supply their milk to the Bombay Milk Scheme instead of working for Polson.[14] Sardar Patel sent Morarji Desai to organise the farmers.[12]

Following a meeting in Chaklasi, the farmers formed the cooperative and resolved not to provide Polson with any more milk.[14] Milk collection was decentralised, as most producers were marginal farmers who could deliver, at most, 1–2 litres of milk per day. Cooperatives were formed for each village.[15]

The cooperative was strict that any farmer could become a member, irrespective of their religion, caste, gender, or political affiliation.[16]

By June 1948, the KDCMPUL had started pasteurising milk for the Bombay Milk Scheme. Then-Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri visited Anand to inaugurate Amul's cattle feed factory. On 31 October 1964, he spoke to farmers about their cooperative. After returning to Delhi, he set in motion the creation of an organisation, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), to replicate the Kaira cooperative in other parts of India. Under the leadership of Tribhuvandas Patel, in 1973, Amul celebrated its 25th anniversary with Morarji Desai, Maniben Patel, and Verghese Kurien.[17]

The cooperative was further developed through the efforts of Verghese Kurien and H. M. Dalaya. Dalaya's innovation of making skim milk powder from buffalo milk was a technological breakthrough that revolutionised India's organised dairy industry.[18]

With Kurien's help, the process was expanded on a commercial scale, which led to the first modern dairy cooperative at Anand. This cooperative would go on to compete against the established players in the market.[19]

The success of the trio (T. K. Patel, Kurien, and Dalaya) at the cooperative's dairy soon spread to Anand's neighbourhood in Gujarat. Within a short span, five unions in other districts—Mehsana, Banaskantha, Baroda, Sabarkantha, and Surat—were set up, following the approach sometimes described as the Anand pattern.[12]

In 1970, the cooperative spearheaded the "White Revolution" of India. To combine forces and expand the market while saving on advertising and avoiding competing against each other, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd., an apex marketing body of these district cooperatives, was set up in 1973. The Kaira Union, which had the brand name Amul with it since 1955, transferred it to GCMMF. Technological developments at Amul have subsequently spread to other parts of India.[20]

In 1999, it was awarded the "Best of All" Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award.[21] In 2025, Amul was ranked third most valued brand in India in the YouGov India Value Rankings 2025.[22]

Organisation: Three tiers of hierarchical co-operative societies[edit | edit source]

Amul operates on a three-tier co-operative society model of dairy development is a structure, where milk producers form the village level dairy cooperative societies, federated under a milk union at the district level which are further federation as member unions at the state level. Amul at village and district level is managed by the elected officials. The three-tiered structure, known as the "Anand Pattern of co-operative societies", has the following hierarchical levels:[23]

  1. Village level society - Village Dairy Cooperative Society (VDCS): Milk producers in a village come together to form this primary society, which collects surplus milk and provides support services to its members. Members elect the management council, i.e. village level societies are self-managed by the elected members.
  2. District level union of societies - District Cooperative Milk Producers Union (DCMPU) or Dugdh Sangh: Village-level societies within a district become members of a district milk union, which is responsible for procuring, processing, and transporting milk. Each village level council with one vote each is member of district level union and they elect the district level council, i.e. district level unions are self-managed by the elected members. Banas Dairy of Banaskantha district and Dudhsagar Dairy of Mehsana district in Gujarat are examples of district level union of societies.
  3. State level federation of state level unions - State Cooperative Milk Federation (SCMF): The district milk unions within a state are federated under a state-level organization. This federation is in charge of marketing and distributing milk and milk products. In the case of Amul, the state federation is the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF). Each district level union with one vote each is a member of state level union and they elect the state level council. The elected state level federation's elected council hires the corporate-style outsider professionals managers to run the operation to give it the professional competitive edge.[23]

Processing[edit | edit source]

Amul has several plants for processing dairy products.

In 2025, Amul's Sabar Dairy Plant at IMT Rohtak in Haryana state was expanded making it India's largest processing plant for curd, buttermilk, and yoghurt catering for the Haryana, Delhi-NCR, and northern India region. In 2025, every day it processes 150 mt (metric ton) curd, 10 mt yoghurt, 10 mt sweets, and 3 mt of buttermilk. In 2025, Haryana was India's third largest producer of milk (122.2 lakh tonnes per year) with highest per capita milk availability in India (1,105 grams per day).[24]

Partnerships[edit | edit source]

Amul has entered into partnerships with cooperative organisations internationally. In May 2024, it signed an agreement to market Amul-branded fresh milk in the United States in collaboration with the Michigan Milk Producers Association, using locally produced milk and Amul formulations.[25]

In June 2025, the cooperative launched Amul milk in Spain through a partnership with a Spanish dairy cooperative.[26]

Marketing[edit | edit source]

See also: Amul girl

In 1966, Amul hired Sylvester daCunha, the managing director of an advertising agency, to design an ad campaign for Amul Butter. DaCunha created an operation consisting of a series of hoardings featuring topical ads related to day-to-day issues.[27] It was popular and earned a Guinness World Record for the longest-running ad campaign in the world. In the 1980s, cartoon artist Kumar Morey and scriptwriter Bharat Dabholkar were involved in sketching the Amul ads; the latter rejected the trend of using celebrities in advertisement campaigns. Dabholkar credited chairman Verghese Kurien with creating a free atmosphere that fostered the development of the ads.[28]

Despite encountering political pressure on several occasions, daCunha's agency has made it a policy not to back down. Some of the more controversial Amul ads include one commenting on the Naxalite uprising in West Bengal, one on the Indian Airlines employees' strike, and one depicting the Amul girl wearing a Gandhi cap.

In 2013, Amul tweeted a picture featuring the Amul Butter Girl, implying that "freedom of choice" died in 2013, in opposition to the Supreme Court of India overruling the judgment of the High Court of Delhi and criminalising homosexuality again.[29]

On 17 October 2016, the Amul Butter Girl celebrated 50 years since she first appeared in the topical ad, titled "Thoroughbred". The ad showed a jockey holding a slice of bread during the horse race season in 1966. The impish Amul girl had appeared for the first time even before that, with Eustace Fernandez showing her offering bedtime prayers with a wink and a lick of lips, saying "Give us this day our daily bread: with Amul butter".[30]

Their ad on Aagey Badhta Hai India had an excellent response from the audience. It spoke about how their milk is seen as a household product, with a catchy tune associated with it. It has over 39 lakh (3.9 million) views on YouTube.[31]

In February 2020, Amul posted a picture of the Amul girl treating Joaquin Phoenix with butter after his academy award win for his role in the 2019 film, Joker.[32] Since Phoenix is a vegan, Amul faced criticism from vegans in India and PETA for the poor knowledge of his vegan activism and life.

In July 2024, Amul featured Maya Neelakantan, a ten-year-old guitar prodigy who auditioned for America's Got Talent season 19 in June 2024.[33]

In popular culture[edit | edit source]

The White Revolution inspired filmmaker Shyam Benegal to base his 1976 film Manthan on it. The film was financed by over five lakh (half a million) rural farmers in Gujarat, who contributed ₹2 each to its budget. Upon its release, these farmers went in truckloads to watch 'their' film, making it a commercial success.[34][35] Manthan won the National Film Award for Best Hindi Feature Film during the 24th National Film Awards in 1977.

See also[edit | edit source]

  • Other milk cooperatives in India

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Amul's revenue rises to Rs 90,000 cr in FY25, up from Rs 80,000 cr in FY24". Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  2. ↑ "Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (AMUL) achieves a turnover of Rs. 52000 crore 7billion crores with 17% growth" (PDF). Amul. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Laidlaw, Alexander Fraser (1977). Cooperatives and the Poor: A View from Within the Cooperative Movement : a Development Study Prepared for the International Cooperative Alliance and the Canadian International Development Agency. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  4. ↑ Singh, Govind; Rosencranz, Armin (20 October 2021). "Cows and their milk". The Statesman. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  5. ↑ Gupta, Reeta. "General Management Review". www.etgmr.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Heredia, Ruth (1997). The Amul India Story. New Delhi: Tata Mc-Graw Hill. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-07-463160-7. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Misra, Udit (10 September 2012). "V. Kurien: India's White Knight". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  8. ↑ Dasgupta, Manas (9 September 2012). "Kurien strode like a titan across the bureaucratic barriers and obstacles". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Dairy Articles". IndiaDairy. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  10. ↑ Srinivas, Nidhi Nath. "Amul's world's biggest vegetarian cheese brand exports cheese to the US, Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong with sales estimated to touch 600 tonne in 2005". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  11. ↑ George, Shanti (1985). Operation Flood: An Appraisal of Current Indian Dairy Policy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561679-8. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Heredia, Ruth (1997). The Amul India story. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780074631607.
  13. ↑ "Story of Cooperation". 20 September 2025.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Suhrud, Tridip (8 April 2006). "The magic of manthan". Tehelka. Archived from the original on 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  15. ↑ Thapar, Romila (2001). "Seminar, Issues 497–508". Seminar.
  16. ↑ Kurien, Verghese; Salvi, Gouri (2005). I Too Had a Dream. Roli Books. p. 179. ISBN 978-81-7436-407-4.
  17. ↑ Gupta, Sharad. "Remembering Verghese Kurien – India's first milkman". businessline. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Kurien, Verghese (2007). "India' s Milk Revolution: Investing in Rural Producer Organizations". In Narayan, Deepa; Glinskaya, Elena (eds.). Ending Poverty in South Asia: Ideas that work. Washington D.C., USA: The World Bank. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-8213-6876-3. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2021. If there was one technological breakthrough that revolutionized India's organized dairy industry, it was the making of skim milk powder out of buffalo milk. The man who made this possible and who had the foresight to defy the prevailing technical wisdom was H. M. Dalaya.
  19. ↑ "Economic and political weekly, Volume 6, Part 4". Economic and Political Weekly. 6. 1971.
  20. ↑ The Cheese Industry in India. Chillibreeze.
  21. ↑ Shrawan (29 May 2013). "Annex iv: list of award winners of Rajiv Gandhi national quality awards" (PDF). bis.org.in. New Delhi: Bureau of Indian Standards. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Amul ranked among India's most valued brands, the only FMCG in the top 3 list". Financialexpress. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 About AMul, Amul, accessed 19 Sept 2025.
  24. ↑ Sabar Dairy expansion a milestone for Haryana: Amit Shah, Indian Express, 3 Oct 2025.
  25. ↑ Langa, Mahesh (20 May 2024). "Amul goes to U.S., partners Michigan milk producers' body to sell fresh milk". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  26. ↑ "GCMMF launches Amul Milk in Spain". The Economic Times. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  27. ↑ Varma, Mini. "The moppet who put Amul on India's breakfast table". Amul. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  28. ↑ Rao, Subha J. (15 December 2007). "Punch guru". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  29. ↑ "Brands peek out of the closet – The Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  30. ↑ "In pics Fifty years on, Amul's 'utterly butterly' girl is still a delight". Hindustan Times. 16 October 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  31. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Amul The Taste of India (10 July 2015), Amul Milk – Aage Badta Hai India, retrieved 9 April 2019
  32. ↑ "Amul smears butter on vegan Joaquin Phoenix's face in an ad celebrating Oscar win, gets slammed by PETA". Hindustan Times. Indo Asian News Service. 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  33. ↑ Baruah, Akashdeep (8 July 2024). "Amul pays tribute to 'Rock Goddess' Maya Neelakantan - CNBC TV18". CNBCTV18. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  34. ↑ "Phalke award for Benegal". NDTV. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  35. ↑ "Manas: Culture, Indian Cinema- Shyam Benegal". www.sscnet.ucla.edu. Retrieved 9 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

External links[edit | edit source]

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