Alpura (company)

In the 1950s each farmer produced their own milk, in their own way and they sold it individually in towns. Alpura was founded in 1970 after a group of dairy producers from various parts of Mexico came together under the same goal of improving the quality of milk produced in the country. They created the Asociación Nacional de Productores de Leche Pura S.A. de C.V or Alpura. Their main goal was to create a business plan to sell fresh milk all over Mexico. At the beginning, Alpura faced many critics from all sides who believed that their goal was impossible to accomplish. In order to prove them wrong, Alpura created commissions that covered different aspects of the business from establishing successful marketing techniques to organizing product distribution.[3]

The factory began its construction in May 1971. Alpura was the first company to distribute milk all over the country. In Mexico it was very hard at the beginning, because consuming powder milk was cheaper. So Alpura came up with a plan to distribute quality milk in supermarkets with low prices to defeat the powder milk market. Also the client had the opportunity to choose from a variety of products Alpura offered. They introduced the ultra pasteurized (chemically storage from temperature) 2000 milk. Alpura has always been a cooperative, it started with only a few shareholders but nowadays it has 254 of them. It also has 142 farmers and 106 thousand cows. Alpura produces 3 million liters and it offers more than 100 products. Within 24 hours of time of milking the company makes distributions of that milk to supermarkets in Mexico.[4] Alpura has 15 centers of distribution and 60 distributors spaced throughout the country.[3]

Alpura has over 142 ranch properties all over the Mexican Republic. Some of their main properties are located in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Estado de México, Querétaro and Tlaxcala. In the Alpura group there are 5,067 employees around 4,350 farmers and 2,320 distributors. The company has 11,737 employees. In the dairies that provide milk to Alpura, it owns all of the cows. This allows Alpura to supervise all aspects of herd management, such as the health and age of the cows. All the cows are of the Holstein breed. In the milking process the cows and the milk are never touch by the workers.[5]

The amount and variety of dairy products of Alpura have grown through the years. When Alpura introduced ultra-pasteurized milk, it changed the Mexican market. Before there was not a business plan to sell milk in Mexico and therefore there were no companies who sold milk. Also in the past the milk didn't have a specific production process. With the ultra-pasteurization, all the bacteria are killed and the milk is made with a careful process. Today, Alpura has five different dairy products with numerous brands under each type of product: milk, cream, yogurt, drinkable yogurt and dessert cups. Milk can be Classic, Semi, and Light in Pasteurized and Ultra Pasteurized, Special (ex. Extra Light, W/out Lactose, No Cholesterol), Alpura Fruit (in ultra-pasteurized and to-go), Dry milk, flavors (such as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry), Alpura Kids, and formula milk. Cream 2000, and Reduced Fat. Yogurt is: Probiotic in Strawberry or Peach, With Fruits (strawberry, peach, apple, mango, forest fruit, pineapple coconut, and blackberry), Natural, Creamy, Vivendi (beauty, purifying, digestion, defenses), With Cereal (strawberry, peach, apple-peach, forest fruit) The Drinkable Yogurt is of most of the same flavors as regular yogurt in Regular, Probiotic, and Vivendi. Dessert cups are Fruit w/ Cream (strawberry, peach, mango).

Alpura's ultrapasteurized milk package is called Tetra top. It's a roll of cardboard packaging with a plastic lid. It takes the form on the filling process. This tetra top is known as a carton of milk, juice, wine etc. according to content. The nickname implies confusion with recycling, to be carried out in the yellow containers of plastic and metal.[6]

The company has made a number of nutritional advancements that include employing nutritionists. The Nutritionist Valeria Rubio has researched the benefits of milk made by Alpura, helped develop recipes focused on nutrition, and advanced research about the benefits of milk in general.[7]

Alpura received the “Mexico Supreme Quality Recognition”. The award is aimed at food businesses which have a strong background in production, sale and distribution of food. Alpura received the Mexico Supreme Quality Recognition 2009 due to distinguishing itself as a company committed to the quality of the products offered to consumers, respect for the environment and social responsibility. This award is aimed at small, medium and large agro-food sector businesses that maintain the highest quality and also have current certification.[8]

Although the market for liquid milk products in Mexico as a whole has seen steady growth since 2006 , some products did not fare as well. To cope with the reduction in demand for their products, Alpura Group sought a new way to attract consumers and increase sales. The Tetra Top solution was to open in a single step in a Tetra Pak carton which is easy to hold, open, close and recycle and has a tamper-proof device incorporated in the lid for extra consumer trust. The initial goal was to increase fresh milk sales by 15%, but "In just six months from April to November 2009, our sales increased 28% in Mexico City and throughout the country at 23%" says Rivers Castelazo. "Both retailers and consumers are happy with the opening of a single step of Tetra Top. This new packaging was key to return to renew our brand, making our product one of the most modern and attractive.[9]"

• Alpura official website (in Spanish)