SWEET NEWS FOR DAIRY FARMERS
Play
Tasty Smile Milk ice cream goes on sale soon to help protect the local industry
How about a healthier ice cream made mainly with local milk – just Bt15 per cone? Smile Milk brand ice cream will soon be available in multiple flavours at several Bangkok outlets, offering a taste that’s delicate and not too sweet.
Thai dairy farmers thank you in advance for your patronage. It’s part of an initiative to keep the industry competitive in the face of rising milk-powder imports.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will open the first Smile Milk shop at Chulalongkorn University’s Chamchuri Square on March 26, helping mark the school’s 95th anniversary.
“We don’t want to see dairy farmers spilling cow milk in protest against plunging milk prices,” says Chula Associate Professor Nopparat Runguthaisiri, one of the directors of the Smile Milk project. “We have to think about how to market their products in a sustainable way.”
Smile Milk will also extend to slushy drinks, muffins, waffles and more, all made with primarily natural ingredients.
“Delicious and healthy are the key words,” says Nopparat, adding that surveys are conducted to ensure every item pleases the taste buds.
The project is funded in part by the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Foreign Trade, which worried that Thai dairy farmers will be suffering by the time free-trade agreements signed in 2005 with Australia and New Zealand reduce the tax on imported milk powder to zero in 2015.
His Majesty the King has long promoted local dairy farms to make sure Thais always have healthy fresh milk. “Fresh milk is more nutritious than milk powder in water,” Nopparat points out.
Smile Milk has attracted many entrepreneurs, she says, she says, but franchises will only be granted if they can guarantee high quality. “We’ll make sure the brand grows step by step.” She anticipates there will be about 10 outlets in operation around the country by the end of the year.
At least three will open in the first quarter of 2012 – the others at the British Council on Siam Square in Bangkok and on Nimmanhaemin Road in Chiang Mai.
Three types of franchisees are being weighed: Smile Milk “houses” valued at Bt750,000, “huts” for Bt450,000 and vans for Bt470,000. Chula architecture lecturer Dr Sunthorn Boonyatikarn is in charge of devising energy-efficient designs for the outlets.
The franchisees will get all the fresh milk they need from participating dairy cooperatives.
Nopparat says Princess Sirindhorn also hopes to see Smile Milk motorcycles toting tanks of fresh milk around the provinces. “She really wants to see fresh milk available for people right across the country at an affordable price.”
LAP IT UP
Find out more at (08) 0815 1509 or on the smilemilkfranchise page on Facebook.
