Abstract

The case “Amul Dairy: Defending its Turf in the Dairy Industry?” talks about the measures taken by India-based dairy giant Amul to defend the dairy industry and eventually itself against a range of perceived threats. The case gives a brief history of Amul and thereby an idea about its stature in the Indian dairy industry. It then provides details about the way Amul tried to fight an ethical battle against vegan dairy producers, animal rights groups, and other entities to protect its way of doing business. Apart from the legal and regulatory system, Amul used the print media, advertisements, publicity, and social and digital media in its endeavor. The case also provides a brief glimpse into the rationale of the other side – vegan dairy producers and animal rights groups – for their opposition to the various moves of Amul. It also offers an idea about how vegan dairy producers could create their own space in the Indian dairy industry. Will Amul’s all-out offensive against substitutes protect the Indian dairy industry in the long run?

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the competitive forces in an industry
• Study the ethical issues pertinent to food products and labeling
• Understand Porter’s Five Forces Model
• Examine the threat of substitutes
• Scrutinize the need for a strategic narrative

Keywords

Porter’s Five Forces Model; Threat of Substitutes; Competitive Strategy; Ethics; Strategic Narrative; Marketing Communications; Social Media; New Entrants; Business Strategy; Activism; Legal Issues; Defensive Tactics; Multinationals; Regulations; Shared Purpose