Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices in the Dairy Industry: A Comparative Study of Leading Dairy Firms and Future Research Directives

Abstract

The Indian dairy industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world which employs millions of farmers directly and also participates more than five per cent in the economy as well. As the industry continues to expand there is a growing need to adopt sustainable practices in the supply chain to minimize negative impact on the environment and society and ensure viability. The present research aims at examining the supply chain management practices of the two leading dairy firms -Amul and Danone. The study relies primarily on secondary sources like peer-reviewed journals, authentic websites and reports. A case study-based approach has predominantly been used to compare two leading firms in the dairy industry with respect to sustainable practices across the supply chain. Key aspects such as the scale of dairy production, technology adoption, pricing, traditional supply chain management, artificial intelligence in sustainable supply chains and logistics management in select dairy firms have been critically reviewed for comparison purposes. The study identified the various problems and challenges being faced by the Indian dairy industry. The study found that Amul and Danone both have focused on sustainable and green practices. However, Danone’s ability to incorporate and enable technology has helped in improving efficiency across the supply chain making the chain sustainable. On the other hand, Amul lacked the adaptation of emerging technologies across its supply chain. The study suggested the exploration of artificial intelligence that might help in achieving a sustainable supply chain in Indian dairy firms.