Bengaluru: The fastest-moving item in Bengaluru these days is idli-dosa batter. At least that’s how it appears on some Reddit and X threads.
It is not just any batter. It is Nandini’s ready-to-eat, whey protein-infused idli dosa batter. Just a few weeks after its launch, demand has far outstripped supply. Consumers are posting messages on social media asking which Nandini outlet has stocks left.
Such is the craze that the state government-owned brand’s rice batter is now a legitimate cultural phenomenon.
At the break of dawn on a Sunday morning, a sea of customers gathered outside the Nandini parlour in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar. They were eagerly waiting to buy supplies to make their usual breakfast – a crispy dosa and filter coffee.
It’s the first-of-its-kind product for Karnataka’s homegrown brand Nandini, which has been selling fresh milk and milk products, including curd and sweets for over 50 years. Launched on 25 December 2024, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) sold 2,250 kg of idli-dosa batter by the new year.
Officials expected it to take at least a month for the demand to soar. But in a month, the brand is selling 3,000 kg of batter per day. And the demand is even higher, at almost 5,000 kg.
“We have been using Nandini products for so long, so we were very excited when they launched the ready-to-eat batter. It isn’t available in the Nandini parlour near my house. So I ask my colleagues to get it for me when they come from Jayanagar,” said Rajni, a 35-year-old resident of Hebbal.
As of now, the batter, priced at Rs 40 for a 450g pack and Rs 80 for a 900g pack, is only being sold at select outlets in Jayanagar, Padmanabhanagar, Malleshwaram and Seshadripuram. While KMF officials are planning to introduce the batter in other districts of Karnataka based on the skyrocketing demand, eager consumers aren’t willing to wait that long. They’re leaving no stone unturned to get their hands on the product. Some are taking to social media platforms like Reddit to share information about which outlets have it in stock. Others are urging the company to make the product available on delivery platforms such as Blinkit or Swiggy Instamart.
“We weren’t anticipating that the product would get such a good response so quickly. Looking at the overwhelming response, it won’t be a surprise if this product becomes as popular as Nandini’s milk and curd. It’s the next big thing for our brand,” said Nandini managing director, Manjesh PR.
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‘Better than other private brands’
Nandini is not just a local brand, it’s a household name. Indira, a 33-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru, often serves Nandini’s strawberry-flavoured milk as a welcome drink to her guests. So when she heard that the brand was selling ready-to-eat idli/dosa batter, she bought five 450g packets without hesitation. And she’s very impressed.
“While the prices are similar, Nandini’s dosa batter is thicker and tastier compared to dosa batters by private players like iD and Asal. I will now serve guests these dosas along with other Nandini products that my house is filled with,” Indira said.
She often has a busy morning routine before her 12-hour shift starts. With this ready-to-eat product, Indira said she is able to make a quick healthy breakfast before starting off her day.
KMF was aiming for this exact market. “Urban consumers, particularly those pressed for time due to work pressures, are increasingly seeking ready-to-cook meals. The launch of the idli-dosa batter is a step towards meeting these evolving needs,” the federation said in a statement at the time of the product’s launch.
However, not all customers are able to get their hands on the product.
“The batter gets sold out by 8:30 am at the Nandini parlour near my house. But when I went the other day, only one 450g packet was left by 7 am. The rest of it was sold out by 8:30 am. But with just one packet, I was able to make six medium-sized dosas. I am hoping that supply will be increased,” said Sahana Gowda, a 24-year-old financial consultant in Bengaluru.
To keep up with the rising demand, KMF said that they plan to increase production in the coming three to four months and make the batter available in every Nandini parlour in the city. With this launch, KMF has officially entered a market dominated by private players such as iD, Asal, and MTR. And it’s hoping to give them a run for their money.
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Beyond Bengaluru
Nandini is not just making waves in Karnataka. As the second largest milk union in India after Amul, the brand is steadily expanding its footprint across India its dairy products are now available in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Delhi. It even has a cafe in Dubai.
A recent post on X noted how Nandini milk is being used in a five-star hotel in Delhi.
Saw nandini being used in a 5 star hotel in Delhi . Saw a CCD coffee machine on the side too.
Kannada brands going strong 💪🔥#nandini #ccd pic.twitter.com/Yhksauf5Q4
— Bagalkote Huduga (@bagalkot_huduga) January 15, 2025
The brand even made it across the Atlantic in June, as a sponsor for the Scotland and Ireland teams at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in the US.
“We wanted to make Nandini a focus point in the World Cup. Nandini also supplied whey-based energy drinks in the US market during the tournament,” KMF’s then managing director MK Jagadish had said.
The demand for Nandini products like ghee, sweets and milk is also on the rise from Indians living in the US. “We send out a 15-tonne container with frozen Nandini sweets, especially Mysore Pak and peda, at least once in three months to our suppliers abroad,” said Manjesh.
Now that the new dosa batter is the talk of the town, KMF plans to launch the same product in Delhi and other markets outside Karnataka as well.
“Nandini will soon become a globally renowned brand,” Manjesh said.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
It would be great if Nandini milk, curd and other dairy products are available in Delhi. I have been searching for quite some time but was not able to spot any store which sells Nandini products.
Nandini must focus on the Delhi market. There’s very strong demand for quality dairy products and people are more than willing to pay a premium for that.