Mumbai’s prominent dairy brand ‘Aarey’, a staple in households for several decades since Independence, is all set to make a comeback. However, this time without its original buffalo sheds or processing units.
The Aarey brand has a special place in Mumbai’s history and in the hearts of Mumbaiites.
The Maharashtra government’s dairy development department has decided to revive the brand by collaborating with milk cooperative Mahananda, which will now process and sell a portion of its milk under the Aarey label.
State dairy development secretary N Ramaswami confirmed the move, stating that Mahananda has been asked to begin processing Aarey milk at its Goregaon facility. “Mahananda currently handles 80,000 litres of milk daily. We’ve requested them to process an additional 25,000 litres exclusively for the Aarey brand,” Ramaswami told Hindustan Times.
Although Aarey is a state-owned brand, Mahananda is a milk cooperative run by the state dairy development department until 2024.
It has now come under the administrative control of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), a central government entity.
Mahananda operates from land in the Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon, originally allotted by the state.
Here’s all you need to know about Aarey Brand:
Aarey’s legacy dates back to 1949 when it was launched to tackle milk shortages in the city post-Independence.
The state allotted a major area of forest land in Goregaon for buffalo sheds and dairy facilities, creating the Aarey Milk Colony. It eventually became the heart of Mumbai’s milk supply chain, bordering the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Film City.
Inaugurated in 1951, Aarey began expanding its range of products to include buttermilk, lassi, and the famous Energee flavoured milk. Aarey booths, once a common sight across the city, became go-to spots for Mumbaikars in need of a quick refreshment.
The state outsourced Aarey’s production to private firms in exchange for royalty in 2021. This plan faltered over time, and by 2022, private companies had ceased production of all Aarey products.
Meanwhile, milk processing at the state’s Kurla and Worli centres was discontinued, and their machinery sold off as scrap in 2023.
Recently, the Kurla dairy land was given to Navbharat Mega Developers Private Ltd (NMDPL) to house slum-dwellers from Dharavi, while the state plans to convert its Worli dairy into an iconic structure under a new scheme.
Share
Tweet
