The Visionary Leader: RS Sodhi’s Journey to Making Amul a Global Brand

Amul is a well-known brand in India that has become synonymous with milk and milk products. The brand is run by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the largest milk cooperative in India, which is responsible for the collection, processing, and distribution of milk in the state of Gujarat. The man at the helm of this organization is RS Sodhi, the Managing Director of GCMMF.

Sodhi, who hails from a small village in Gujarat, joined the dairy cooperative movement in 1983 as a management trainee. Since then, he has worked his way up the ranks to become the Managing Director of GCMMF in 2012. Under his leadership, Amul has grown to become one of the most successful and respected dairy brands in the world.

One of the key strategies of Sodhi is to increase the size of the cooperative in order to increase the bargaining power of farmers. This is important for the dairy sector as it is dominated by private players which in some way controlled the pricing and farmers have to sell their product at lower price. Under his leadership, the number of milk producers associated with the Amul cooperative has grown from 2.5 million to 3.6 million, and the volume of milk procured has increased from 5.5 million liters per day to 12 million liters per day. This has led to an increase in the income of farmers, who are the owners of the cooperative.

Sodhi is also credited with modernizing the Amul brand and taking it to new heights. He has expanded the brand’s presence in the domestic market, and also taken it to international markets. Today, Amul’s products are available in more than 60 countries. He also emphasizes on a diversified product portfolio which helped the organization to overcome the volatility of the price of milk.

Sodhi has also been instrumental in the company’s digitalization effort. He is a strong advocate of the use of technology to increase efficiency and reach more customers. This has led to the launch of several digital initiatives, such as the Amul Retail App and the Amul Parlour Management System, which have helped to improve the organization’s operations and reach.

Sodhi is a strong believer in the power of the cooperative movement and the role it can play in empowering farmers and rural communities. He is also an advocate for the use of technology to improve the dairy industry and the lives of farmers. Under his leadership, Amul has become a model for other dairy cooperatives around the world, and he continues to be an important voice in the dairy industry, both in India and globally.

RS Sodhi has been a driving force behind the success of Amul, who helped the organization to grow, and to become one of the most successful and respected dairy brands in the world. His vision and leadership have transformed the organization and played a crucial role in the empowerment of farmers and the growth of the dairy industry.