Brands jump onto the A2 cow ghee bandwagon

 https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/brands-jump-onto-the-a2-cow-ghee-bandwagon/article32387285.ece

 Tired of being afflicted with allergic rhinitis since childhood, Girija Kumar decided to try A2 cow ghee (ghee made solely from the milk of desi cows) instead of refined oil to cook her daily meals, on the advice of an Ayurvedic practitioner. Two years later, she is free of her sneezing bouts, runny nose, red itchy watery eyes and swelling around the eyes.

Girija then went on to buy three desi ‘Swarna Kapila’ cows and two ‘Gir’ cows which are raised in her farm on the outskirts of Bengaluru to ensure a daily supply of A2 cow milk and ghee for her family.

“Antihistamine medicines just provide temporary relief. My immune system received a big boost with the daily consumption of A2 cow ghee and milk. My husband and kids do not fall sick every other month any more” she told BusinessLine .

Ghee is a $500-million industry in India. While there is no data available on the market size for A2 cow ghee, which is a sub-category, industry experts peg it at roughly ₹200 crore at present. Kapiva, Vedic, Farm Naturelle, Nandini Dairy Farm, GirOrganic, Divya Kamdhenu and Mr Dairy are some of the many brands that have jumped onto the A2 cow ghee bandwagon. Their ghee is priced ₹1,200-1,600 for 500 ml.

Catering to the needs of people like Girija and many others who are choosing natural, organic foods for their superior nutritional and wellness benefits, Gaia, a health and wellness brand, has also joined the A2 cow ghee. Derived from A2 milk of native Indian cow breeds ‘Sahiwal’ and ‘Rathi’, the company says the ghee is churned using traditional practices. Gaia A2 Cow Ghee is priced at ₹1,100 for 500 ml and ₹2,050 for 1 litre and is available in 1,200 premium retail outlets across 25 States and will be available soon on Amazon and Flipkart.

“Being in India, you just can’t do without ghee, which is a part of our staple diet. The ever-rising demand and the competitive pressures on prices in this product category result in the adoption of unethical practices and consequently compromised quality. So, the pack of ghee that reaches your kitchen does not offer the benefits for which the purchase has been made in the first place. A2 cow ghee addresses all these concerns, delivering great health. People observing special diets like keto can happily consume it without feeling guilty. It is ideal for health-conscious working professionals as well as home-makers who need to supplement the nutritional gaps in their daily diet” said Dolly Kumar, founder and Director at Cosmic Nutracos Solutions, the parent company of Gaia.

Shrey Badhani, co-founder of Kapiva, a modern Ayurvedic nutrition brand which offers A2 desi Cow Ghee from ‘Gir’ and ‘Tharparkar cows’ at ₹1,500 for 500 ml, says growing interest in A2 cow ghee fuelled by consumer discovery online of its health benefits, began to show up from early 2017.

To cater to the burgeoning demand of discerning consumers for healthy alternatives, Kapiva launched A2 desi cow Ghee in 2018. “Demand for our A2 cow Ghee has grown over 5x in the last 18 months,” he said.