MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Unique Partnership: Promoting M'sian Palm Oil Through Mumbai's Dabbawalas
Unique Partnership: Promoting M'sian Palm Oil Through Mumbai's Dabbawalas
06/04/2017 (New Straits Times) - Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certified foods and beverages will soon be promoted in India via a unique partnership with Mumbai’s dabbawalas.
“Malaysian palm oil through its association with the world famous dabbawalas would be seen as socially relatable to the average consumer in India,” said Mah.
“This meaningful collaboration carries an impactful message considering India is the world’s most populous nation. We hope India would get to know better the versatility of palm cooking oil and vanaspati,” he told reporters at a briefing here today.
“My team and I will go to India again in three months. India is the world’s biggest edible oils importer spending US$10 billion a year to buy vegetable oils to feed its nation. We hope to see India buy more Malaysian palm oil,” he added.
Having just returned from India, Mah highlighted that Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is partnering Mumbai Dabbawala Association (MDA) and the Solvent Extractor’s Association of India (SEA) to promote the development and use of MSPO-certified cooking oil, vanaspati and oleochemicals.
Dabbawalas or tiffin carrier deliverymen, though many of them are illiterate, are well known for their timeliness, punctuality and dedication. Even the world's logistics giant FedEx give due respect to the Dabbawalas efficient system.
The 5,000 dabbawalas delivering over 200,000 meals a day are a common sight in Mumbai.
Clad in white kurtas, they weave their bikes through impossible traffic and swarming throngs, juggling multiple tiffins, each packed with food that are destined for office buildings and school courtyards.
Transporting lunches may sound simple but what the dabbawalas do every day is a remarkable feat, one so impressive that professors from Harvard Business School travelled to India to study it.
On another note, Mah said his team will be heading to China this month to further strengthen trade rapport. After five years of decline, he said China’s purchase of Malaysia palm oil has doubled to RM1.52 billion in the first two months this year.
“Malaysian palm oil through its association with the world famous dabbawalas would be seen as socially relatable to the average consumer in India,” said Mah.
“This meaningful collaboration carries an impactful message considering India is the world’s most populous nation. We hope India would get to know better the versatility of palm cooking oil and vanaspati,” he told reporters at a briefing here today.
“My team and I will go to India again in three months. India is the world’s biggest edible oils importer spending US$10 billion a year to buy vegetable oils to feed its nation. We hope to see India buy more Malaysian palm oil,” he added.
Having just returned from India, Mah highlighted that Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is partnering Mumbai Dabbawala Association (MDA) and the Solvent Extractor’s Association of India (SEA) to promote the development and use of MSPO-certified cooking oil, vanaspati and oleochemicals.
Dabbawalas or tiffin carrier deliverymen, though many of them are illiterate, are well known for their timeliness, punctuality and dedication. Even the world's logistics giant FedEx give due respect to the Dabbawalas efficient system.
The 5,000 dabbawalas delivering over 200,000 meals a day are a common sight in Mumbai.
Clad in white kurtas, they weave their bikes through impossible traffic and swarming throngs, juggling multiple tiffins, each packed with food that are destined for office buildings and school courtyards.
Transporting lunches may sound simple but what the dabbawalas do every day is a remarkable feat, one so impressive that professors from Harvard Business School travelled to India to study it.
On another note, Mah said his team will be heading to China this month to further strengthen trade rapport. After five years of decline, he said China’s purchase of Malaysia palm oil has doubled to RM1.52 billion in the first two months this year.