The affordability of Bvumbwe Dairy Pasteurized Milk makes it possible for every person to have an access to drink milk

The Bvumbwe milk processing project is located in southern Malawi at Bvumbwe in Thyolo district. They are selling packed milk as an OVOP activity. They started in 1970's as a dairy group.
They are selling fresh milk to major milk companies in Blantyre and Lilongwe. In 2003 as an OVOP group they were supplied with milk pasteurizer and milk packaging machine by JICA,
This assistance made them to produce pasteurized and packed milk which can be sold directly to consumers by the group themselves and not through the major milk companies. Now the group has increased their sales.

Brief Background

For over 33 years of its existence, Bvumbwe Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society (BDFCS) has been selling fresh raw milk to milk processing companies such as Malawi Dairy Industries (MDI), Dairy Board and Sun crest Creameries Ltd. BDFCS is the largest Dairy Cooperative Society in Malawi with daily average milk collection of 3200 litres. In 2003, BDFCS in conjunction with the Malawi Government through one village one product (OVOP) initiative sort assistance from the Republic of Japan, and, JICA brought the milk processing machines.The same year 2003, the vumbwe Milk Processing Project commenced.

Thereby turning Malawi into a healthier nation.

[The Product]
BMPP's first product is pasteurized fresh whole milk called Bvumbwe Dairy Milk. Plans are there to diversify into other milk products in the near future.
[Assurance to the Customers]
Our supreme concern is your health. We will strive to give the nation the best product at a reasonable price, affordable to all. Even the Bible describes milk as the best food. Therefore we call upon the nation; old and young and babies alike, the sick, sheikhs and pastors to drink Bvumbwe Dairy Milk. It’s good once you get it! Drink it!

Descriptions of Bvnmbwe Dairy Milk

[1] The Life Span of the Product
If refrigerated, Bvumbwe Dairy Pasteurized Milk lives for a period of 14 days from the day of manufacturing and lives only 24 hrs fridge free.
[2] Pacaging
Bvumbwe Dairy Milk is hygienically processed and chemically tasted and is packed in well-approved packets. The milk is in two contents: The 500ml and the 250ml packets. The green and white cow inscribed in a green colour is our trademark.
[3] Nutritional Value
Bvumbwe Dairy Pasteurized Milk is the best ever produced milk in this country with natural cream. It has 4.5% Butterfat content. This milk is indeed Whole Milk.
[4] Price
Bvumbwe Dairy Pasteurized Milk is a Malawian product meant for the nation. Though the product is the best of its kind in Malawi, its price is unbeatably lower. This is in line with the project objective: Thus offering better milk prices that are affordable both in the rural (lower income earners) and urban areas.

Special Orders

Hospitals, Schools, Chemical factories, Shop owners, Established orphanages, Churches and Individuals with special occasion; can make your orders through the following contacts.

Our Main Products

Group Information

[Support from OVOP/JICA]
Purchase of a milk pasteurizing machine, a sealer, plastic packages and a refrigerator. Training in leadership, cooperative and business management, and processing of milk products. A tour was also conducted to other mini milk processing plants located in the area. (Total amount Mk1,600,000)
[Support from Other Organizations]
Two cooling tanks (3,200 tons x 2) from DANIDA, a water tank from Canada.
[Contribution by members]
MK100/year. If a member does not pay the membership fee, it is deducted from his/her milk sales. The cooperative is in the process of putting up a capital (MK2/share, MK8,000 minimum)
[Support by District Assembly]
The Cooperative accommodates a public veterinarian at its premises to receive his services.
[Background]
The Cooperative was formed in 1973 by 5 farmers under the Government's initiative; 10 cows were granted to farmers. The number of members once increased to 700, then after being divided into two groups, the number decreased to 400 in 1970. Afterwards, the number grew to 600.
Most of the members are owners of a couple of cows, and they supply raw milk to the factory. Executive Committee is responsible for the sale of raw milk as well as the processing of dairy products by using a small portion of collected milk. The Cooperative buys milk only from members, and members must not sell milk to any other buyers. Currently, the Cooperative is in the process of separating 'Mindairy' (dairy production section) by creating a new cooperative.

Strength and Opportunities

[Materials]
Water and sourness of all milk from members is checked before the purchase.
[Product]
The Cooperative claims that their whole milk pasteurized in low temperature is tasty and competitive because large companies are mostly concentrating on long-life milk and low fat milk pasteurized in high temperature, and that it actually sold well at trade fairs.
[Production]
Apart from bulk raw milk sales, the current level of production of 'Mindairy' is 100 to 150 packs of pasteurized milk per day, and a small quantity of cheese and yogurt.
[Market]
The competition in the milk market is intense, but those that are sold are mostly long-life milk and low fat milk. Therefore, the Cooperative finds high marketing potential for its products.
[Quality Control]
The Cooperative claims that Executive Committee members in charge of quality control always monitor production.
[Sanitation]
The factory is always kept clean. MBS staff visits the factory every two weeks to check label, expiry day, cleanliness.

Challenges

[Product]
The Group's product does not have specific features to penetrate in the market of dairy products.
[Production]
The sealing machine easily heats up, which disrupts continuous packing of milk. The Cooperative wishes to buy a bigger processing machine by taking out a loan from a bank in the future.
[Market]
Since fresh milk is a highly perishable product, supermarkets do not deal with the Cooperative's product without MBS.
[Quality Control]
Due to the low level of production, the factory cannot afford laboratory equipment to test their dairy products.
[Sanitation]
Due to the low level of production, the factory cannot afford work suits for its workers.