That yellow butter packaging with the iconic girl in the polka-dot dress is staple in many homes. For years, Amul has been an integral part of Indian families. From butter and milk to cheese and ice-cream, the brand has become everyone’s favourite. But have you ever asked yourself who owns Amul? The answer might surprise you.
READ| Who is the Owner of Parle?
What is the Full Form of Amul?
Before we dive head first into finding the owner of this household brand, it is interesting to know that Amul is an abbreviation. Amul is short for Anand Milk Union Limited. The brand started from the city of Anand, Gujarat. In fact, the name "Amul" also comes originally from the Sanskrit word Amulya, meaning priceless.
The Amul website mentions: “Amul, short for Anand Milk Union Limited, began in 1946 in a small town called Anand in Gujarat.”
Who Was the Founder of Amul?
Amul was established on 14 December 1946 as a response to the exploitation faced by dairy farmers against agents and traders. Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel was the farmer-leader behind the movement. He was guided by Dr. Verghese Kurien. The movement also gained the support of Sir Morarji Desai, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Private dairy agents were paying low prices to the farmers of Kaira. Tribhuvandas united them together and set up a cooperative that would allow farmers to deal directly with the consumer meaning no middlemen involved. It was simple yet effective idea
The Amul website states: “Amul, short for Anand Milk Union Limited, began in 1946 in a small town called Anand in Gujarat. At that time, Indian dairy farmers were being exploited by middlemen, and milk shortages were common. In response, a group of farmers came together to form a cooperative society, led by Tribhuvandas Patel and guided by the visionary Dr. Verghese Kurien.”
“What started as a local movement soon turned into a nationwide revolution. Amul empowered millions of rural farmers, especially women, by eliminating middlemen and giving them direct access to markets. It pioneered the White Revolution, making India the largest milk producer in the world,” it adds.
Who is the Owner of Amul?
The key thing to remember is that there is no one single owner of Amul. Amul is an Indian dairy brand belonging to the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) in Anand, Gujarat. GCMMF is the highest body of Dairy Cooperatives of Gujarat and is owned by 3.64 million milk-producing farmers.
In simple words, Amul is owned by millions of small farmers in Gujarat. Any farmer who provides his milk to their local dairy cooperative is an owner of Amul. That's what makes Amul so special as it's not a company owned by a wealthy family or an individual. It belongs to the farmers.
READ| Who is the Owner of Lenskart?
Who Operates Amul Today?
Amul is currently headed by Dr. Jayen Mehta who is the MD of GCMMF. The company’s turnover is INR 65,911 crore (2024-25) and it procures around 35 million litres of milk every day from 18,600 village milk co-operatives in 33 districts of the country.
Amul is more than a milk brand. It is a revolution which empowered millions of farmers.
READ| Who is the Owner of Red Bull?
