Odisha’s trusted dairy cooperative is expanding beyond milk products.
Packaged drinking water and a new range of ice creams will soon be available in shops across the state, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik announced in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The products will reach the market only after the OMFED board gives formal approval. Discussions with the board are already under way.
OMFED already makes ice cream in familiar flavours including chocolate, butterscotch, strawberry, kesar pista, mango and vanilla. These are sold in cups, sticks, choco bars and family packs. The new lineup will add more tastes and formats to attract a wider set of customers.
Packaged drinking water is a fresh category for the brand. The federation has been planning the move for some time and earlier floated tenders. It aims to capture 15 per cent of Odisha’s bottled-water market by offering a reliable, locally trusted option.
To support the expansion, a new 5 TLPD ice cream plant is being set up at Kendupatna in Kataka district in partnership with the National Dairy Development Board. Work to upgrade the ice cream facility at the Arilo dairy plant is also in progress. Plans for an OMFED chocolate line are moving forward as well, with NDDB preparing a detailed project report that awaits government clearance.
Dairy farmers will also see a direct benefit, as the procurement price has been raised by Rs 2 per litre to improve their returns and encourage self-reliance.
These steps are expected to widen OMFED’s presence in the consumer market, raise incomes for milk producers and give households more dependable everyday choices under a familiar Odisha brand.
