Salubrious Mohi becomes ‘a must’ item on most occasions

Kathmandu, Sept. 5: In a welcome shift towards healthier living, a growing number of people are choosing buttermilk over soft cold drinks, thanks to widespread awareness campaigns launched by dairy entrepreneurs, associations, and health advocates.

Once a staple summer drink in rural Nepal, buttermilk—locally known as mohi—is now regaining its popularity, not only in villages but also in urban centres and social gatherings.

In Nepal, buttermilk has long been prepared by churning yogurt—made from buffalo or cow milk—into butter and separating the remaining liquid. This leftover liquid, rich in probiotics and nutrients, became a go-to summer beverage and fasting drink.

"Over the last few decades, urbanisation and the rise in the supply of soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Pepsi and Sprite had led to a decline in traditional buttermilk preparation. However, in recent years, there's been a strong revival of buttermilk consumption due to its health benefits," said Prahlad Dahal, dairy entrepreneur and president of the Nepal Dairy Association (NDA).

Restaurants and cafes in various cities, including Kathmandu and Pokhara, have started offering spiced buttermilk as a refreshing alternative to sugary beverages, he said.

"The practice of consuming traditional drink - buttermilk - instead of sugary soft drinks in party venues, weddings, and other social functions is increasing. People are also more willing to drink buttermilk instead of cold drinks," said Dahal.

Dairy industries branding buttermilk

As an alternative to cold drinks and other processed beverages, various brands of buttermilk, such as Prabhat Mohi, Darshan Mohi and Durga Mohi, are available in the market.

According to him, Nepal Dairy Association (NDA) has been running a programme to promote the consumption of buttermilk for about two years.

Two years ago, they launched the buttermilk promotion campaign after noticing a decline in milk consumption across the country, he added. 

The association provided free buttermilk at the traditional fairs on Durbar Marg in Kathmandu every Saturday for two years starting in July 2023.

"Under the campaign to promote buttermilk and increase awareness about its consumption, we distributed buttermilk free of charge for two years at the traditional fair on Durbar Marg. In about 104 weeks, we distributed around 7,280 liters of buttermilk, averaging 70 liters a week," he told The Rising Nepal.

Apart from this, the NDA distributed buttermilk free of charge one day a week, sometimes in schools, public meetings, and even at the request of political parties during their events.

Thanks to the association's campaign, above 30 dairy industries have started selling buttermilk with labeling and branding, and the popularity of buttermilk has increased significantly at public gatherings and social functions, he added.

Currently, more than 30,000 liters of buttermilk is sold through labeling and packaging in the formal sector across the country, while over 200,000 liters of buttermilk is sold informally, said Dahal.

"When domestic products are consumed, domestic currency stays within the country, and milk and dairy products produced by Nepali farmers are consumed in Nepal. This is very positive for us and for the citizens," he said.

Rising demand for buttermilk at weddings, events

Today, buttermilk is served at almost every auspicious event, wedding and party in the Kathmandu Valley, said Kamal Dulal, proprietor of Kathmandu Banquet in Baneshwor.

"Most customers who book the banquet for weddings and other events request to serve buttermilk instead of other processed soft cold drinks," he said.

"However, as our menu doesn't include buttermilk, when we inform customers that we offer buttermilk instead of cold drinks, they are generally happy," he added. 

The demand for buttermilk at wedding receptions has been increasing for the past two years, and now it is used at more than 90 per cent of weddings and other events in the Kathmandu Valley, he said.

Dulal noted that while the consumption of cold drinks has decreased recently, the consumption of buttermilk is now far higher than that of cold drinks at events.

" But our costs increase when we provide buttermilk rather than cold drinks because people tend to drink several glasses. However, despite the higher cost, we are happy to serve our indigenous products to our customers," he said.

Visitors were also welcomed with buttermilk at the recently held Sapta Gyan Mahayagya at Gatthaghar in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Bhaktapur, where approximately 2,600 litres of buttermilk was distributed by local Narendra Dhakal during the seven-day event. 

“People are more informed today. They are realising that buttermilk is not only refreshing but also healthy. We must market it as a smart and traditional alternative to cold drinks, especially during the summer," said dairy entrepreneur Dahal.

Currently, dairy associations are selling packaged buttermilk at Rs. 80 per liter in Kathmandu, he said.

It is estimated that around 250,000 litres of buttermilk worth about Rs. 20 million are sold daily across the nation.

"We, the dairy associations, supply buttermilk by producing and packaging it naturally without using preservatives. Therefore, the product can only be consumed up to a week from the date of production. If we use preservatives, the product could last for at least 15 days after production," he said.

This movement is not only reshaping consumer habits but also offering new opportunities to the farmers. With growing demand for milk-based products, dairy farming and animal husbandry are gaining traction as sustainable livelihoods across the country, he said.

With the aim of establishing the traditional beverage 'Mohi' as a part of national identity and promoting indigenous products, the Nepal Dairy Association has announced that it will celebrate Chaitra 28 every year as National Buttermilk Day.