Distribution of Processed Milk

There are many methods and regulations for the distribution or retailing of milk,depending on the country and type of milk that is being distributed. The dairy industry does not invest in liquid milk retailing in most countries, other than for promotion and demonstration centres and automatic vending machines. The grocers sell and sometimes distribute the milk delivered by the plant. They charge a little extra (the ‘retail margin’) over the milk plant price for their services. In countries where the milk plant delivers milk directly to consumers, the plant absorbs the retail margin. There is no common system for establishing retail margins. They vary considerably between countries and sometimes, even between localities within the same country due to variation in cost of labour, transport and capital.

 

i. Distribution of bulk milk

Distribution in cans: Bulk milk may be distributed to institutions such as catering establishments, university hostels and hospitals in cans. These cans are filled in the dairy directly from the tanks in which milk is stored, either by pumps or by gravity filling. They are then transported to the consumer in appropriate vehicles (tempos,trucks etc.). The consumers empty the cans into their own storage systems and return the cans immediately. Alternatively, the cans may be retained and the previous time’s empty and cleaned can are returned to the vehicle for transport to the dairy.This cycle is maintained. It is important that the cans are cleaned again in the dairy,even if they have been cleaned at the consumer’s location.

Distribution in automatic vending machines: The sale of milk in bulk through automatic vending machines has been introduced successfully in Mexico and India.This system does not involve retail packaging by the milk plant as the consumer provides his own container. Thus, the milk is handled in bulk up to the point of retail sale. This eliminates the cost of packaging and there is substantial saving in running cost. The milk plant sells milk directly to the consumer and so, there is no need for middlemen or a distribution network.

A tanker delivers the refrigerated pasteurized milk to the vending station housed in a simple building. This consists of a refrigerated room in which a milk storage tank of the requisite capacity is placed at a high level. A small service room for the cleaning-in-place (CIP) equipment is essential. Office or storage facilities may also be required. The milk is pumped from the tanker to the storage tank.

 

ii. Distribution of milk packed in multiple-use packages

Countries that use glass bottles for packaging at least some portion of their total packaged pasteurized milk include Bulgaria, India, Japan, Malta, New Zealand,Poland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. The proper working of the distribution system involving re-use of containers - mostly glass bottles - depends entirely on how effectively the empty bottles are retrieved. There are normally three ways in which this is done.

In the first case, the milk may be delivered to the customer’s doorstep and empty bottles recovered at the same time. This system has the advantage that it can work in the customer’s absence. The payment may be collected after a set period of time, for instance, once per week.

Secondly, vehicles carrying the packaged milk may tour the customers’ locality with many stops in each street. They normally announce their presence by blowing the horn or any other audible signal. The customers come to the vehicle bringing empty bottles. The customers need to pay a deposit on empty bottles, normally equal to the cost of the bottle. If they require more full bottles than the number of empties they return, extra deposits must be paid. If they require less a corresponding credit is allowed.

In the third method, milk may be sold only from shops to which the customer must go to purchase milk. A similar system as before, for paying a deposit on the bottle prevails here also.

 

iii. Distribution of milk packed in single-use packages

Single-use packages offer the advantage of doing away with the cleaning-collecting-returning-cleaning routine that is needed for the multiple use containers. Out of several distribution methods, the most commonly used is the stacking of the filled packages in crates. Sometimes they are also wrapped in non-returnable materials.Crating already has been mentioned in the section dealing with pasteurized milk in tetrahedral cartons. For single-use transport packaging, shrink-film is most often used. This wrapping can be applied manually or mechanically. This system is used where short storage times and short distribution distances are involved. This has the disadvantage that the film does not give much mechanical support to the packages.Cartons wrapped in shrink-on film are often susceptible to damage, leakage and contamination, especially when handled manually. Special (perforated) shrink-films may be required in areas with high humidity to prevent condensation.

Rectangular cartons filled with milk are placed first on a flat tray blank in groups of twelve. The sides of the blank are then folded up tightly around the cartons.Thus, the pressure-absorbing ability of the filled cartons is fully utilized. The packed corrugated tray is then wrapped in shrink-on film, thus protecting against dust and moisture. It also presses the sides of the tray in towards the cartons so as to improve the pressure-absorbing ability of the corrugated tray. This method is a safe,but more expensive system than the shrink-wrap. The units can easily be handled manually. This system is normally used for UHT milk, which is to be stored for longer periods and distributed over greater distances.

 

iv. Comparison of bulk and retail sale of milk

The merits and demerits of either of these systems depend on the locality and attitude of consumers and the type of milk being sold. Some of the differences in the two systems are enumerated below.

1. Although pasteurized milk can be sold in bulk, sterilized and UHT milk cannot be sold without packaging.

2. Packaged milk is measured accurately.

3. Milk sold in bulk is amenable to adulteration at different levels: transportation as well as vending.

4. Keeping quality of pasteurised milk depends on maintaining the ‘cold chain’ throughout its distribution network. If milk that leaves the plant at temperatures much below 10° C in insulated vehicles and is kept by the retailer under refrigeration, the quality of milk is bound to be much better than the bulk-vended milk, particularly in cans.

5. The sale of milk in automatic vending machines ensures the continuity of the cold chain. However, there may be a need to redesign or reconstruct buildings to accommodate the equipment, which is often difficult in crowded cities. In Mexico and India, where this system is in operation, it is considered a success and has the full support of every group of customers. However, there is feedback regarding the equipment, which comes in capacities of 1000 and 2000 litres. The machines need to be developed further, in order to make them more suitable to varying conditions and requirements.