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World Bank funded unit to launch afforadable ice-cream for the 'common man'

The Rs 780 million Metro Dairy Limited, country's only cent per cent World Bank sponsored milk processing unit, will launch its Metro ice-cream products on September 2, as part of its first diversification programme.

The launch of five different types of ice-creams will be in both 100 ml cups and one litre party packs. Metro Dairy managing director Sumit Deb said today that to start with, the ice-creams would be available only in Calcutta, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia districts of West Bengal at very competitive prices.

He said though the total demand for ice-cream in these areas had been worked out to the tune of 16,000 litres per day, Metro Dairy initially would supply only about 10,000 litres to grab about 60 per cent of the total market-share in this segment.

Later, on the basis of increased acceptability, the supply would be increased, Deb said, adding that his main objective was to bring high-quality, tasty and healthy ice-cream to the common man at affordable prices.

Metro Dairy had started its operations in April 1997 with an investment of Rs 500 million, entirely funded by the World Bank as soft loan. Deb said while last year the overall sales figures had crossed the Rs 630 million mark, this year it might go upto Rs 780 million, registering about 14 per cent growth in one year alone.

About his investment for diversification into ice-cream products, Deb said a most modern and fully computerised plant had been set up at a cost of Rs 105 million last year with similar World Bank loan. Most of the machinery of the new plant had been imported from the USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Japan to ensure supply of best international products, Deb emphasised.

He said though the installed capacity of the milk processing plant was about 400,000 litres per day, at present only about half of the capacity was being utilised because of the present lean season.

About the share-holding pattern of the company in terms of Rs 120 million working capital, Deb said while the West Bengal Federation enjoyed the highest 47 per cent stake, followed by 43 per cent by private sector Keventor Agro Limited, the remaining ten per cent was in the hands of the National Dairy Development Board.

UNI

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