Contemporary Dairy Duel? Amul vs Nandini Turf Struggle Spills Over To Bengaluru Metro
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With kiosks and Metro house coming into the equation, the combat between the dairy giants is not nearly milk—it’s about territory, management, and political messaging
The BMRCL deal provides Amul kiosk house at 10 busy Metro stations.
The long-simmering turf conflict between dairy giants Amul and Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) Nandini has boiled over once more—this time over establishing kiosks inside Bengaluru’s Namma Metro stations.
The most recent flashpoint? BMRCL’s choice to signal a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Gujarat-based Amul to arrange kiosks at 10 key Metro stations throughout the town.
Now, with kiosks and Metro house coming into the equation, the combat is not nearly milk—it’s about territory, management, and political messaging.
“There was an open tendering course of. Amul participated and gained the bid for 10 stations. It’s open to all. If KMF needs to take part, allow them to come ahead,” a senior BMRCL official informed News18.
A senior KMF official confirmed to News18 that Nandini is at present in talks with BMRCL to barter leases and can open alongside the identical metro stations as Amul. “We’re in talks with BMRCL on our kiosks,” the official mentioned.
Amul has, nevertheless, already moved in and arrange two kiosks—one at Byappanahalli metro station and the opposite at Beniganahalli metro station as per the MoU.
“Nandini had earlier arrange kiosks at three stations—MG Street, Mahalaxmi and Vijayanagar—however shut two down resulting from low income,” a prime BMRCL supply mentioned. Solely the Vijayanagar outlet remains to be operational.
The BMRCL deal provides Amul kiosk house at 10 busy Metro stations: Pattandur Agrahara, Indiranagar, Benniganahalli, Byappanahalli, Trinity, Sir M Visvesvaraya, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda (Majestic), Nationwide School, Jayanagar and Banashankari.
However the political milk has already spilt.
BJP MP PC Mohan launched a pointy assault on the Siddaramaiah authorities, accusing it of betraying Karnataka’s dairy farmers by permitting Amul into Metro areas and leaving out Nandini. “The Congress authorities, which oversees BMRCL, has enabled Amul to displace Nandini. It is a betrayal,” he mentioned.
The JD(S) went a step additional, alleging that Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had “offered his self-respect for commissions”. On X, the social gathering posted: “Earlier than polls, Congress launched a ‘Save Nandini’ marketing campaign. Now, for fee, Shivakumar is welcoming outsiders.”
Shivakaumr countered the argument by saying that Nandini will likely be given house inside the metro stations to be arrange and Amul has arrange solely two kiosks until now.
KMF officers, in the meantime, say they’re in contact with BMRCL. “We’re renegotiating rental phrases. Talks are ongoing,” one senior officer mentioned. BMRCL, for its half, maintained that there’s nonetheless room for negotiation.
“Retail areas can be found. If KMF exhibits curiosity, we’ll take into account,” an official mentioned, clarifying that the transfer is geared toward rising non-fare field income to offset public subsidies in terms of practice fares.
However this isn’t nearly kiosks, it’s a political conflict.
In 2022, Union House Minister Amit Shah’s remark in Mandya—that Amul and KMF ought to cooperate—set off alarm bells. Protesters feared a merger. A yr later, forward of the 2023 Karnataka meeting polls, Amul introduced its plans to promote milk and curd in Bengaluru by way of e-commerce platforms. That transfer rapidly turned political gunpowder.
Congress, then in opposition, accused the BJP of “red-carpet remedy” to Amul, claiming it was an try and sideline Karnataka’s home-grown dairy model Nandini. Kannadigas took to social media in protest, dubbing it a risk to the pleasure and livelihood of Karnataka’s dairy farmers.
Whereas each Amul and KMF use the identical Anand mannequin of milk procurement, and even compete in markets like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Goa, they’d up to now stayed off one another’s house turfs. That modified in 2023.
Karnataka is a milk-surplus state—its 16 district milk unions provide excess of native demand, permitting exports to different states. The KMF is the nation’s second-largest dairy cooperative after Amul, providing aggressive costs and rooted in a robust native farmer community.
Amul had then clarified that its entry was restricted to a distinct segment, e-commerce viewers. However the injury was executed—the Nandini vs Amul narrative had already develop into an election challenge and now a turf conflict between Karnataka and Gujarat.
Rohini Swamy, Affiliate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for almost 20 years within the tv and digital house. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has beforehand labored with t…Learn Extra
Rohini Swamy, Affiliate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for almost 20 years within the tv and digital house. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has beforehand labored with t… Learn Extra
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