Aavin on Tuesday launched a milk variant in Chennai – fortified cow milk with vitamins A and D. The purple-coloured packs are being produced at Ambattur, Sholinganallur and Madhavaram dairies of the milk major.
Half a litre of the new variant will cost ₹22. It is termed as cow milk, according to the norms of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and has 3.5% fat, 8.5% solids non-fat (SNF).
Sources in Aavin said the FSSAI had been recommending the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation, whose popular brand is Aavin, to add the vitamin supplements to help certain sections of the population, including children and elders, who have vitamin deficiency.
“They have suggested that all our variants have fortification. This is being done on a pilot basis and if there is a demand for such fortification, it would be included in other varieties too,” an official said.
The fortification is being done under the supervision of the FSSAI, experts from TISS and the quality control wing of Aavin. A set of standard operating procedures had been provided to Aavin.
When asked how this was being branded as cow milk, an official said Chennai did not get any buffalo milk. “Only Erode gets buffalo milk but that was being consumed locally. The quantity is not much. The cow milk is in accordance with FSSAI standards,” the source added.
Meanwhile, milk retailers and wholesalers have objected to Aavin officials asking them to procure this variant additionally.
‘Same cost’
S.A. Ponnusamy of the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers and Labourers Welfare Association said the new variant had 1% lesser fat than the green milk (standardised milk), but was priced the same. “Customers will think twice before opting for this. We cannot sell this,” he added.
Aavin’s current procurement stands at 29.5 lakh litres of milk a day, of which Chennai takes 14.5 lakh litres of milk per day. Of this, 7 lakh litres is green magic, 4 lakh litres is blue toned milk and 3 lakh litres is orange coloured full cream milk.
