After three years, Mah Boon Krong's dairy-goat farm is set to unleash milk and beauty products on the domestic market and in the near future in Asean and the Middle East.

"Since the end of last year we have been supplying soap, skin lotion, face powder and

lipstick under the GMK brand through Boots, Watsons, Tops Supermarket and Villa Super-market to get consumer feedback," said Suravut Bulakul, executive vice president of Mah Boon Krong Dairy Goats Co Ltd last week.

"This month we'll be adding UHT milk to our portfolio of Sirichai-brand goat products, which already comprises fresh milk, yoghurt and yoghurt drink," he said, adding that exports were expected to start this year.

MBK Dairy Goats has developed formulas for cosmetics and skincare products using goat's milk as a major ingredient. It delegates production to local companies.

The 2,000-rai farm was started in Kanchanaburi's Thong Pha Phum district in 2003 by Mah Boon Krong Dairy Goats, a company owned by Sirichai Bulakul, founder of MBK Group and Suravut's uncle.

Sirichai had the foresight to capitalise on the great potential in the market. Goat's milk is rich in nutrients, including vitamin A, and can be more easily digested and absorbed by the human body than cow's milk.

"We imported Swiss Saanen dairy goats from Australia,

New Zealand and China. Our 7,000-plus animals produce six to seven tonnes of milk a day," Suravut said.

The company's Bt200-million plant in Pathum Thani started producing fresh goat's milk at the end of 2003 and regular and drinking yoghurt in the middle of last year.

The factory now produces 30,000 bottles of dairy products a day, about 80 per cent fresh milk and 20 per cent yoghurt.

Next year the company expects to triple output to about 100,000 bottles a day.

The company's products are delivered to customers' homes by nearly 100 distributors and are stocked by Tesco Lotus, Carrefour, Makro, Tops Supermarket, Villa Supermarket and Foodland.

More than 20,000 regular customers order them.

The overall market for milk was more than Bt22 billion last year, Suravut said.

UHT milk made up Bt9.4 billion, fresh milk Bt2.1 billion, yoghurt drinks Bt6 billion, and soybean milk Bt4.5 billion. Goat milk accounted for less than 5 per cent.

"We're at the beginning stage of goat farming. We plan to breed goats that are better adapted to a tropical climate then offer them to villagers in the area to start their own farms under contract," Suravut said.

The company expects sales to jump from Bt120 million last year to more than Bt300 million this year and sales of its GMK products to hit Bt4 million-Bt5 million a month.

MBK Group has diversi-fied from its rice-storage, mill-ing and packing business into hotel and shopping-centre development, health spas and golf links.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation