Noble Dairy Today
On a warm afternoon, diggers and builders busily rumbled alongside the country roads of Igatpuri, Maharashtra. In hindsight, it has taken Irfan years of persistence, long waits in Government offices for permissions, countless disappointments and months of nights spent in sheds to make this happen. We were going from a conventional farm, to a fully- automated milk parlour system in their dairy farm. For them, the objective was and is, very clear – make a successful dairy business. To be a preferred brand in the dairy business world. A sense of focus, they inherited from their Father.
The Patel brothers, Imtiyaz, Yunus and Irfan are the third generation of Noble Dairy – carrying forward the mantle of their visionary Father.
My Dad did not believe in incremental improvements, but large changeable improvements.
We went from 7 buffaloes in Aarey to more than 2000 buffaloes in a span of just a few years. This is no lean feat.
Global in thought, Indian at heart, Noble Dairy has the approach of a multi-national organization.
“This is it. Our future. Converting our farm into an automated farm is like a dream-come-true.”
The business of buffalo dairy farming is not an easy one. We pride ourselves that all our farms are our own. We are not a cooperative,” says Imtiyaz. “And therefore, we have to look into every aspect with laser-sharp precision.”
“We don’t leave any stone unturned, when it comes to quality. And to create a world-class, state-of-the- art farm, we have partnered with the best in the business.”
“DeLaval is a global leader in providing technology solutions to Dairy Farming, Dairy consumables and farm products. They were committed about partnering with Noble Dairy, their first and largest endeavor in the Indian sub-continent.”
“We would not have been here without the trust and support of our partners and the values of our family,” say the Patel Brothers.
“Trust is to be earned. Task by task. Every single day.
Naturals Ice-Creams was the first to recognize our passion and consistency. It was Yunus Patel’s grit that was instrumental in building this relationship. Had it not been for Naturals Ice cream – our biggest Client, we would not have expanded the way we did. It’s been more than 30 years, and they still remain our largest customer.”
Indians have a sweet tooth. Every celebration is made sweeter, with sweets, desserts and ice-creams.
What better category to be in than to be a part of every Indian household during celebrations?”, says Imtiyaz.
We have stuck to two decisions, one of which is focusing on buffalo milk production only. He attributes the former to be a decision taken by his predecessors.
Secondly, we have deliberately stayed away from a co-operative structure, because it does not guarantee consistency. Our source of milk is our own farm. It helps us keep & maintain its authenticity and quality.
Years of experience and expertise is what has brought them here, and they intend to stick to this niche, within the dairy business.
This approach has probably kept us from being aggressive, but it has also kept us focused and steady.
We have acquired farms and have only moved from strength to strength.”
When asked what is the mantra for this success, the Patel Brothers swear by, “Consistency and Trust.”
The Three Cs of success
- Consistency in Quality
- Consistency in Quantity
- Consistency in Trust.
“Our daily motivation is to keep up with the trust people bestow on us. Milk is ingrained in our culture.
Mothers give their children milk to see them grow up and grow strong. And since it is consumed on a daily basis, we have to be more careful, ten -times over. It is a great responsibility. And we are elated that we have gained the trust of families and enterprises in equal measure over the last few decades.
The Dairy category is expanding, and innovation is at the heart of the business. With our foundations firmly established, we are poised for more growth, for ourselves and our partners – to provide the best milk and milk-products to our customers and end-consumers.”