Amul offers a wide variety of products ranging from butter, milk, and cheese to chocolates, ice creams, and much more. Having such a wide array of products has never led the brand to compromise on the quality that it promises to its consumers, and that continues to remain the brand’s USP.

How it all Started

Designed in 1949, Dr Verghese Kurien’s journey at Amul began when he landed at Anand, a small village in Gujarat as a government official overseeing a dairy. Gradually, he moved from repairing agricultural machinery to revolutionising India's dairy business.

History of the Brand

Amul has truly come a long way ever since its inception. The inspiration behind the name Amul came from the Sanskrit word ‘Amulya’ which means precious or priceless. The word ‘Amul’ is an abbreviation for ‘Anand Milk Union Ltd.’.

The brand started with an aim to improve the social and economic conditions of farmers in Indian villages. This brand is a cooperative which is jointly owned by the Gujarat milk producers (nearly 3.6 million). It all started 65 years ago when Amul was initially known as the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union. The name was changed in 1955. It was a means to improve the state of the dairy farmers, as they laboured day in and day out putting in long hours on low wages, exploited by the local businessmen.

Fed up with unfair treatment and manipulative abuse, farmers led by Tribhuvandas Patel turned to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Patel sympathised with the farmers and suggested that they seek self-employment and work independently. Thus, the farmers, with Sardar Vallab Bhai Patel’s aid, set up their own cooperatives.

Started off with only a few farmers producing around 247 litres of milk per day, the organisation today has matured into a 14.85 million litres producing milk and milk products collective, provided by more than 3.6 million milk producers across the country, every single day.

Amul was also the biggest power source of Operation flood, more commonly known as the White Revolution. It was a nationwide milk grid created to link producers throughout India to their consumers, while simultaneously ending the middleman's profit. It led to a rapid increase in milk production in the country making India the largest dairy producer in the world. This helped improve the living conditions of more than 15 million milk-producing dairy farmers. Amul fulfilled its promise and transformed the farmers’ community forever.

The foundation of the White revolution was set by the village milk producers’ co-operatives, which procured milk and in return provided inputs, technology, and services to all its members. Amul has justified its existence by helping such a vast population, not just in India but all over the world.

Important facts about Amul:

• It was first set up in Anand, Gujarat in 1946.


• Amul is run by Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), in joint ownership with more than 3.6 million milk producers.


• Amul Corporation was founded by Dr. Vergese Kurien, who is also known as the father of the White Revolution in India.


• More than 15 million milk producers distribute milk to dairy cooperatives of 144,500 dairies across the country.


• Amul operates in over 50 countries, with more than 7,200 exclusive stores in India alone.


• Amul has been bestowed with the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award “Best” in 1999, in recognition of its premium level of quality.


• Amul also has a Guinness World Record for the longest-running advertising campaign.

The Three-Tier Model

Amul operates on a three-tier mechanism. The first tier is the cooperative society in the village, with milk producers as voluntary members at the base. They are responsible for managing the co-operative through a democratically elected 9-member managing committee. The business is conducted by purchasing milk from members and selling it to the district-level cooperative. There are around 11,000 co-operatives or more in the small villages of Gujarat.

The second tier has the district co-operatives responsible for transforming milk into milk products, which are then marketed locally and the surplus is then sold to the state co-operative for national and international marketing purposes.

The third and final tier is the state-level cooperative also known as the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which holds the responsibility of marketing the products both nationally and worldwide.

This structure is a unique institution as it includes the entire network from production and procurement of raw materials to marketing and distribution channels and their management. Each of these steps has an estimated 23.60 lakh primary milk producers; 35,000 rural workmen in more than 11,400 village societies; 12,000 workers in 15 dairy plants; 750 marketing professionals; 10,500 salesmen in the distribution network and 600,000 salesmen in the retail network.

A co-operative of this level is not only bound to succeed but also sets an example of proper structure and management for others to follow. This structure has allowed Amul to create the most efficient supply chain thus leading the industry while simultaneously reaching its customer; online community in time, across the country, and abroad.

The Amul Success Factor

Amul, as a brand, focuses its growth strategy on invention, globalisation, and quality. But there are other key factors that have contributed to its success:

The Amul Girl

Used as a mascot to charm its audience with innocence and wit, the Amul Girl is a long-standing cartoon that has helped Amul connect with the community through humour and socio-political commentary.

The Three-Tier Distribution Structure

Amul’s efficient supply chain using its three-tier framework has increased the efficiency and speed of operations to such a level that it has helped set a precedent for other companies to follow. Amul adopted this model way back in the 1970s as part of the flood operation that led to the White Revolution. This model not only helped the farmer community get a fair price for their product but also helped India become the largest milk producer in the world.

Consistent Innovative Practices

Whether it’s new launches, unique marketing, or fighting old-school social trends, Amul keeps up with what’s new and always has something different to offer to its customers. In fact, it was the first brand in the world to use buffalo milk to produce its skimmed milk powder way back in the 1960s. Amul also won the CNN-IBN Innovation Award for a Better Future and the World Dairy Innovation Award in 2014.

Diversified Product Range

The reason why Amul occupies every single household in the country is that it meets the needs of all market segments with its wide range of products. By providing benefits to its customers, Amul has built a strong brand community of loyal customers over decades.

One distinct way that Amul chooses to engage its customers is by having an ‘Amul Recipe’ section on its website. Under it, you can find countless recipes for famous desserts, savory dishes (both Indian and Continental) which can be made utilising Amul products.

The success story of Amul is as inspiring as it is efficient. Amul’s arduous labour has insured the farmer community’s self-sufficiency. With Amul’s help, farmers today have become entrepreneurs and earn a livelihood on their own. The fact that the entire procedure is public has guaranteed that no one gets exploited. What started off for the welfare of a community has now grown into a multi-million dollar business spread all over the world.