Amul Dairy MD to head Lactalis India operations

The French dairy major entered the Indian market recently

Rahul Kumar Srivastava, managing director of Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited (KDCMPUL), also known as Amul Dairy, is set to head the Indian operations of the world’s largest dairy group, Le Groupe Lactalis, in Chennai.

KDCMPUL is also a member union of the Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand. Though the brand is owned and marketed by GCMMF, the Amul Dairy at Anand is run by KDCMPUL. According to sources, Srivastava will head the Indian operations of the French major, which recently entered the world’s largest dairy market, India. Earlier, in January this year, Lactalis had acquired south India-based private player Tirumala Milk Products for about Rs 1,750 crore. Srivastava, an engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, and a student from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand, had joined GCMMF 22 years ago.

He was offered the post of managing director at the Amul Dairy at the age of 33 years, in 2003.

It is learnt that Srivastava was in the look-out for a suitable opportunity for the last one-and-a-half years. He did not wish to comment on the development, and a mail to Lactalis remained un-answered.

Ramsinh Parmar, KDCMPUL chairman, said, “Srivastava has intimated that he would like to switch his job.”

Founded in France 80 years ago, Groupe Lactalis employs more than 54,000 people and operating in 70 countries through 200 factories. Lactalis develops well-known international brands such as Président, Galbani and Parmalat. According to the group website, the group turnover in 2012 was 15.7 billion euros.