The milk is sourced from approximately 20,000 Sri Lankan farmers, and the company said the product benefits local farmers; contributing to their livelihoods by creating increased demand for local milk.
Sri Lanka’s dairy industry is an emerging one, with a relatively low milk supply, Nestlé said. However, its work with local dairy farmers, which has been ongoing for more than 30 years, has helped develop the industry to produce enough milk for Nestlé’s dairy-based products.
These include Nespray Fortigrow full cream milk powder, Milo RTD (Ready-to-Drink), Milkmaid, Nespray Nutri-Up, Nespray Coco-Up, Nespray Fortigrow Milky Biscuit, Nestomalt RTD, Nescafé RTD, and now Nestlé a+full creamUHT milk.
Growing communities
Said Shivani Hegde, Nestlé managing director, said the company’s ambition has always been to grow communities along with the business.
“We’re proud to launch yet another product that not only meets the nutritional needs of our consumers but also contributes to the livelihood of local Sri Lankan farmers. Nestlé a+ is yet another product that demonstrates our company purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future,” Hedge said.
The company provides approximately 20,000 farmers with regular training programs, technical and microfinancing assistance, mobile veterinary clinics, milk churns and other resources. It has also invested in establishing essential infrastructure for dairy farmers, such as milk collection points and chilling centers, to provide them a secure route to market.
Nestlé Lanka has operated in Sri Lanka since 1906 and manufactures most of its products locally, largely using local ingredients. It is one of the top five companies on the Colombo Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization, and contributes to the livelihood of more than 25,000 milk and coconut farmers.