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With kiosks and Metro area coming into the equation, the struggle between the dairy giants is now not nearly milk—it’s about territory, management, and political messaging
The BMRCL deal provides Amul kiosk area at 10 busy Metro stations.
The long-simmering turf conflict between dairy giants Amul and Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) Nandini has boiled over once more—this time over organising kiosks inside Bengaluru’s Namma Metro stations.
The most recent flashpoint? BMRCL’s resolution to signal a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Gujarat-based Amul to arrange kiosks at 10 key Metro stations throughout the town.
Now, with kiosks and Metro area coming into the equation, the struggle is now not nearly milk—it’s about territory, management, and political messaging.
“There was an open tendering process. Amul participated and won the bid for 10 stations. It’s open to all. If KMF wants to participate, let them come forward,” a senior BMRCL official advised News18.
A senior KMF official confirmed to News18 that Nandini is at the moment in talks with BMRCL to barter leases and can open alongside the identical metro stations as Amul. “We are in talks with BMRCL on our kiosks,” the official stated.
Amul has, nonetheless, already moved in and arrange two kiosks—one at Byappanahalli metro station and the opposite at Beniganahalli metro station as per the MoU.
“Nandini had earlier set up kiosks at three stations—MG Road, Mahalaxmi and Vijayanagar—but shut two down due to low revenue,” a prime BMRCL supply stated. Solely the Vijayanagar outlet remains to be operational.
The BMRCL deal provides Amul kiosk area at 10 busy Metro stations: Pattandur Agrahara, Indiranagar, Benniganahalli, Byappanahalli, Trinity, Sir M Visvesvaraya, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda (Majestic), Nationwide Faculty, Jayanagar and Banashankari.
However the political milk has already spilt.
BJP MP PC Mohan launched a pointy assault on the Siddaramaiah authorities, accusing it of betraying Karnataka’s dairy farmers by permitting Amul into Metro areas and leaving out Nandini. “The Congress government, which oversees BMRCL, has enabled Amul to displace Nandini. This is a betrayal,” he stated.
The JD(S) went a step additional, alleging that Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had “sold his self-respect for commissions”. On X, the social gathering posted: “Before polls, Congress launched a ‘Save Nandini’ campaign. Now, for commission, Shivakumar is welcoming outsiders.”
Shivakaumr countered the argument by saying that Nandini might be given area inside the metro stations to be arrange and Amul has arrange solely two kiosks until now.
KMF officers, in the meantime, say they’re in contact with BMRCL. “We’re renegotiating rental terms. Talks are ongoing,” one senior officer stated. BMRCL, for its half, maintained that there’s nonetheless room for negotiation.
“Retail spaces are available. If KMF shows interest, we’ll consider,” an official stated, clarifying that the transfer is aimed toward growing non-fare field income to offset public subsidies with regards to practice fares.
However this isn’t nearly kiosks, it’s a political conflict.
In 2022, Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah’s remark in Mandya—that Amul and KMF ought to cooperate—set off alarm bells. Protesters feared a merger. A yr later, forward of the 2023 Karnataka meeting polls, Amul introduced its plans to promote milk and curd in Bengaluru by means of e-commerce platforms. That transfer rapidly grew to become political gunpowder.
Congress, then in opposition, accused the BJP of “red-carpet treatment” to Amul, claiming it was an try and sideline Karnataka’s home-grown dairy model Nandini. Kannadigas took to social media in protest, dubbing it a menace to the pleasure and livelihood of Karnataka’s dairy farmers.
Whereas each Amul and KMF use the identical Anand mannequin of milk procurement, and even compete in markets like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Goa, they’d to date stayed off one another’s house turfs. That modified in 2023.
Karnataka is a milk-surplus state—its 16 district milk unions provide way over native demand, permitting exports to different states. The KMF is the nation’s second-largest dairy cooperative after Amul, providing aggressive costs and rooted in a robust native farmer community.
Amul had then clarified that its entry was restricted to a distinct segment, e-commerce viewers. However the injury was carried out—the Nandini vs Amul narrative had already grow to be an election situation and now a turf conflict between Karnataka and Gujarat.
Rohini Swamy, Affiliate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for almost twenty years within the tv and digital area. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has beforehand labored with t…Learn Extra
Rohini Swamy, Affiliate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for almost twenty years within the tv and digital area. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has beforehand labored with t… Learn Extra
