Indian firm Prabhat Dairy has invested about INR140 crore ($21m) to establish new production lines for cheese at its Shrirampur facility in Ahmed Nagar.
The company's cheese product portfolio includes mozzarella, cheddar, processed cheese and paneer that are produced from cow’s milk.
It claims that the cheese is produced strictly from fresh and unadulterated cow’s milk, which is supplied from dairy farmers.
Cheese market in India is growing fast steadily over the years. At present, the industry has a value between INR 80-100 bn ($1.2bn -1.5bn).
An annual growth of 30-35% can also be seen in this industry, according to a report by International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMARC).
Cheese is not an alien product anymore in India and it is now being used in the country's cuisine. Several Indian dishes are now being flavoured with cheese.
To cash in on the increasing demand, Prabhat Dairy has started commercial production of cheese. The Shrirampur facility of the company is now being considered as the third largest plant in the country, which is capable of producing at least 20 tonnes of cheese every day.
The company's investment will increase its supply of various cheese products to hotels, restaurants and caterers.
Prabhat now has a vast distribution network across states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and is now entering cities such as Bangalore and Hyderabad.
