camel milk to global market desert farms throughout time different societies around the world have practiced different patterns regarding food and traditional medicine. in fact food is one of the greatest forms of diversity in culture as one society may appreciate a certain food while another may deem it taboo. also different cultures esteem different foods as prestigious and or nutritious either as a result of cultural beliefs religious beliefs. in saudi arabia the majority of the middle east north africa and asia camel milk is held in high esteem.
the locals in these regions perceive the drink as prestigious and in certain communities as containing medicinal value. in some areas camel milk is reserved for special guests and young children due to its rich taste and nutritional value. the awareness and consumption of camel milk outside ksa and mena are quickly growing as more people discover its health benefits. one of the most successful companies dealing in the production and distribution of camel milk is desert farms. the primary intention of this study is to discuss the infiltration of camel milk into the global market. the article will use the case of desert farms as a focal point in this study.
the discussion will look into the consumption of camel milk the uses its value and how the product infiltrated the western world. the paper aims at discussing the reception of this trend in various parts of the world as well as the societal issues related to camel milk and its consumption.also drive the course of the study and suggest ways the organization can improve its coverage and reach more people. also the paper will look at the strategies that the particular company used to infiltrate the global market and see how these strategies can apply to other companies. the article will also explore the opportunities and challenges that the company faced as well as the steps they took to deal with those challenges.
desert farms was founded by walid adul-wahab a saudi student in the year 2013. in saudi arabia camel milk is readily available and is very popular for both food and beauty. the culture dramatically appreciates camel milk and thus produces it liberally. after living in the u.s. california abdul-wahab identified a gap in the market due to the need for healthy alternatives to cow milk in the region.
his roots in saudi arabia made it easy for him to provide a rich and nutritious alternative in the form of camel milk. since he was familiar with the concept of raw camel milk its similarity to human milk and its medicinal value walid abul-wahab was able to infiltrate the u.s. market with the idea of camel milk. the company has its headquarters in santa monica in california u.s.a.
through research and a sober entrepreneurial mindset abdul-wahab was able to infiltrate the u.s. market. consequently his company desert farms that deals with the production and distribution of camel milk and camel milk products were able to grow to establish itself and gain popularity in the western world. over the years the company was able to infiltrate other nations and continents with its products.
desert farms was the first of its kind in the united states. its goal according to their website is to promote camel milk consumption in its natural state as a natural and wholesome product. as a result the product had the opportunity to take america by storm as they had no competition. on the other hand being the first also proved to be challenging as this also meant that people were more reluctant to try the product. however the availability of research and scientific evidence supporting the nutritional value of camel milk paved way for the companys grow and make sales in the california america as a whole and later on extended globally. in recent years the nutritional value of camel milk has slowly come to the forefront with more people understanding the full potential and benefits of the product.
as a result the consumption of camel milk has increased steadily. desert farms deals exclusively in camel milk products. its products include pasteurized camel milk raw frozen and fresh camel milk camel milk powder raw camel milk kefir which is a yogurt drink and camel milk colostrum which they also provide in its natural form. the company also deal in beauty products that revolve around camel milk products. these products include scented and unscented camel milk soap camel milk body creme camel milk face wash and camel milk face mask. these beauty products made from camel milk rejuvenate the skin and remove blemishes.
the organization uses milk from camels grown and based in the u.s. the brand has also received social and media attention due to the consistency of its products as well as the growing population of camel milk and camel milk product users. business society issue and reception in popular culture camel milk has become very popular due to its endorsement by celebrities. in the u.s. celebrity endorsement plays a significant role in the sales of a product since they are considered trendsetters.
celebrities always want to stay ahead of trends fads information and technology. as such knowing that camel milk is very nutritious increases its popularity with celebrities who endorse it which in turn increases sales for the companies selling the particular product. the method works by creating appeal to the product and particularly to the younger generation that is easily influenced by famous people. another major influence on the success of desert farms and its camel milk business is the fact that the milk is produced locally by american farmers who work closely with the company. this aspect attracts many americans as a way to support their economy and farmers. the element of patriotism plays a role in this situation.
it also increases credibility and interest in the product as it is available locally and not in a foreign land. the reception of camel milk as a way of life is excellent in most parts of the world. with an estimate of 60% to 70% of the worlds population being lactose intolerant camel milk has provided an excellent alternative to cow milk. the promotion of camel milk in america greatly focuses on the health benefits of the product and especially for children and teenagers health managing autism due to the presence of high amounts of gaba gamma-aminobutyric acid managing diabetes and increases immunity hence curbing many illnesses.
with the awareness of these among other health benefits of camel milk the industry has steadily grown and shows promise in the future. the industry has a growth percentage of 6.8 annually which is very high. desert farms for instance has expanded drastically and has even opened branches abroad within five years since its official opening. moreover the introduction of new product lines within the company such as yogurt and beauty products also appeals to more people who may not enjoy raw camel milk.
this rapid growth and expansion is also proof of demand in the society. camel milk consumption in ksa and mena region the topic of camel milk is critical as it is one of the upcoming trends in the western world. in essence communities have used camel milk for centuries. in north africa for instance the nomads consider it a complete meal since it is thick filling and nutritious.
in ancient arabic culture there are records of camel milk prescribed as medicine for specific illnesses and disorders. camel milk was also used for beauty and as a product to improve the skin. cleopatra for instance bathed in camel milk to rejuvenate her skin which was considered the secret to her beauty. as such one cannot consider the use of camel milk in various ways a fad as history has proven it to be a valuable resource. recently the western world has tapped into the knowledge of camel milk its products and their benefits.
thus the topic is one worth discussing and studying. the kingdom of saudi arabia ksa boasts nearly one million camels; a stark contrast from america which has merely five thousand camels. with so many camels it is not a wonder that the people of saudi arabia have easy access to camel milk. however the infrastructure of camel milk in ksa does not encourage the commercialization of the same. most camel owners produce milk for home consumption. sales of this product have been very low and the product has not been well managed or fully exploited.
this indicates a failure in the meso level as the supply does not even bother to meet the demand. in fact it is only recently that the nation has commercialized camel milk mainly due to the health benefits and advantages that arise from the consumption of the product. in the past one could just get camel milk from the bedouins. moreover the locals did not consume the milk regularly as they considered it mostly for medicinal purposes and not regular consumption. as such one could not find camel milk in stores and supermarkets in the kingdom of saudi arabia. however there are more cows in the region than camels.
moreover the infrastructure and system for cow milk production in the ksa is well established and highly efficient making cow milk readily available. as such camel milk costs twice the price of cow milk in the region making it a form of luxury in spite of the availability of camels. from a cultural perspective camel milk is very prestigious and they reserved it for special occasions and guests. also camel milk is considered a form of treatment and is used locally to heal. the market potential for this product is very great though it is not well exploited. in the middle east and north africa mena region camels are readily available and are considered a prestigious commodity.
in the united arab emirates uae camel milk is thoroughly commercialized. in the region companies offering camel milk and camel milk products face stiff competition. here one can identify a clear supply locally. in the region companies have come up with creative ways to attract consumers by producing a wide range of products from camel milk.
there are more camels in north africa than in the middle east ksa included. as such camel milk is more heavily consumed in north africa than it is in the middle east especially among the nomadic and pastoral communities. besides it is also cheaper there than in the middle east. however the region has not commercialized the product or made the most of this resource.
in the u.s. the availability of camel milk is increasing due to awareness and health benefits related to the product. it is easier to access professionally produced and packaged camel milk and camel milk products in america than in ksa. another factor increasing the popularity of camel milk and its product is the fact that it acts as a suitable substitute for cow milk for people with milk allergies. moreover it is also very rich and serves as an adequate substitute for human breast milk for babies unlike cow milk.
the commercialization of camel milk in the u.s. significantly improved the infrastructure of the system. that made it overtake that of the ksa even though the middle east has had camels and known about the benefits of camel milk for a longer time than the u.s. has. following this trend dairy farmers in ksa and the middle east have increased their production and started taking serious measures to increase their production of camel milk. challenges opportunities being the first of its kind desert farms was able to introduce camel milk into the american market.
this was a major opportunity for the company and it enabled it to grow. with the health benefits that the milk offers as well as the curative properties that are made possible by its rich nutritional value camel milk attracted much attention in the region and quickly entered the market. with the increase in popularity of camel milk in the u.s desert farms was able to enjoy a monopoly with its products during the initial stages. consequently they were able to set the price point for camel milk and its products where they wanted. consumers did not have many options to chose from and thus the company did not feel the pressure to come up with new products.
also the lack of competition provided a good environment to grow and infiltrate the market undisturbed. this gave it mileage as it was able to establish itself as a brand in california and later the rest of america. the production of camel milk locally through a partnership with local farm owners also helped to improve the yield and reduce the risk for the company. in turn this increases profit margins for the company.
another challenge in the sale of camel milk has been the introduction of a new type of product. people tend to be resistant to new things and change in general. as a result there are many people who fully understand the benefits of camel milk and its products but with not make the change. wooing these customers proves to be very challenging. another major challenge is the production capacity of u.s.
camels compared to ksa and mena camels. as stated earlier there are very few camels in the america. in turn the cost of selling producing camel milk and camel milk products is very high. this makes it also expensive by the time it reaches the consumer.
in turn the products do not have many consistent buyers. many consumers who purchase the product point out that it is expensive. for instance desert farms sells pasteurized camel milk at $18 for 16oz bottle whereas cow milk sells at an average of $2 for half a gallon which is 64oz. this high price tag deters many potential buyers.
these challenges influenced the overall performance of the company. dealing with challenges due to the awareness of the importance of camel milk more dairies have come up that produce camel milk and its products other than desert farms. in addition international companies from the middle east have infiltrated the u.s. market with their camel milk and camel milk products. consequently desert farms started experiencing competition from other dairy dealers who offer competitive prices and excellent quality. not being a monopoly any longer desert farms has had to adjust some of its prices and increase their product variety to remain competitive.
also the company has had to advertise regularly since other brands are advertising lest the community switches to the new brands. moreover through offers and promotions the company was able to deal with competition. for instance there have been promotions where if one buys two products of one type they get another one for free. another way they have stayed afloat is through free samples which gives skeptics a chance to try their products for free before committing. initially the camel milk revolution proved to be challenging due to policies such as the prohibition of raw milk vending alongside the other challenges mentioned above.
however the desert farms approach enabled the company to maneuver these issues by finding a loophole in the system. first the organization works with farmers who produce camel milk in their own homes by rearing camels feeding them and meeting the quality and standards required by the company. by following this path the company was able to reduce production cost by outsourcing and buying the milk from the farmers rather than producing it themselves. this approach saves the company from risk since they only purchase the milk that meets their standards. through this model the company was able to have a competitive edge over its competitors who stand a risk of loss by producing the milk themselves. additionally having farmers partner with them means that they can provide raw camel milk to interested parties even if they are in areas where raw milk is illegal.
that is because the farmers can access the camel milk directly. the method of farming has increased local production as more people participate in the rearing of camels. it has also boosted sales annually. another way the company has dealt with these challenges is by adding more things to their list of products.
the presence of competitors who have a variety of products required that the company extends its range of products. initially desert farms strictly produced camel milk. the products included frozen pasteurized and fresh camel milk products. however with the increase in competition and the need to adapt the company started producing yogurt and beauty products from camel milk. the introduction of these products increased sales of the company by 17% as they incorporated a new kind of buyer.
these included facial wash from camel milk body creme face mask and bathing soap. in addition desert farms have ensured that they have good customer relations and produce high quality products. to them customer satisfaction is key and thus they ensure that they have received very good ratings. the rating of these product is also very high and the reviews are good. there are numerous recommendations on the internet for these products meaning that there is customer satisfaction which creates customer loyalty. so far their biggest customer base of loyal customers are parents with autistic children.
in conclusion through these changes and efforts desert farms was able to overcome many challenges posed by the business and society set. moreover the company has extended its services beyond the united states. their practice of boiling milk at a low temperature to maintain the integrity of the product as well as using no preservatives has made the company succeed in the u.s. this is because competitors use preservatives and gmo to improve the taste and outside look of their products.
as such these firms are unable to meet the standards of desert farms which only deals with homegrown camels where each farm has a maximum of six camels. that enables the company to produce high quality even though it does not supply large quantities like its competitors. as such it is evident since the attention that a farmer can give to six camels is not the same as the attention that a farmer with a herd of a thousand camels can provide each camel. in the end the camels receiving more care produce better quality while the latter produce lower quality milk.
following previous projections camel milk consumption is expected to grow steadily between 2018 and 2023. over the years the industry has grown at a rate of 6.8% annually as stated earlier. however projections expect this figure to rise to 7.2% on the basis of social-economic trends and the camel milk survey. through the journey of desert farms it is clear that companies must be flexible and quick to adjust to change.
additionally it is critical that an organization has a clear understanding of the meso and macro aspects of its environment to anticipate and promptly react to challenges and trends. in the case of desert farms it is clear that the brand has a clear sense of identity and has not altered its agenda or product quality as many companies do. as such it has been able to remain at the top in spite of the various challenges that it has encountered.
