Nandini Milk introduces India’s first biodegradable milk pouches

Bangalore Milk Union Limited (BAMUL), under the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (KMF), has become the first in the country to introduce biodegradable milk packaging. 

The new bio-degradable sachets, made from corn-based material using imported technology. They are designed to decompose within six months, unlike conventional plastic covers that linger in the environment for over 500 years.

The initiative was officially launched on World Environment Day (5 June 2025) at BAMUL’s newly established mega dairy plant near Shivanahalli in Kanakapura, close to Bengaluru. BAMUL has already begun using two lakh-biodegradable sachets per day for packaging milk and curd in sizes ranging from 200-ml to one-litre. 

Former MP and BAMUL Director DK Suresh called the initiative a “historic step,” adding, “BAMUL has proudly introduced biodegradable milk packets for the first time in India. This pilot initiative marks a new setup by our cooperative to curb plastic pollution.”
To scale this effort, BAMUL is also investing INR 426-crore in a fully automated mega dairy facility. The plant will not only enhance milk processing capacity but also expand into products like paneer, cheese, and more. 

Until now, milk packaging had remained exempt from plastic ban regulations due to the lack of feasible alternatives. BAMUL’s innovative move addresses this gap and sets a critical precedent for the dairy sector and broader packaging industry.  The eco-friendly covers are expected to increase the costs but are nearly identical in appearance and performance to regular plastic sachets. According to local media reports, Bengaluru alone uses an estimated 20 to 25-lakh plastic milk covers daily, significantly contributing to the city’s waste burden.

At present, BAMUL markets 64-dairy products under the Nandini brand, which holds an 80% market share in Bengaluru, selling 2.2-million litres of milk daily. With this expansion, BAMUL aims to grow its market share by 5% and plans to launch 1,000 new Nandini retail outlets across the city.