Goat milk brings in higher profit as a beauty product - Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — Goat raisers can earn a bigger profit by selling goat milk to manufacturers of soap and other beauty products.

A study by a team of researchers from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB) noted that two local companies have been using goat milk for beauty products and whitening soap with apparent success.

Team leader N. D. Montes stressed that profits from the sale of goat milk to Splash Corp. and Kalapana Co. are higher than those from selling meat or breeders.

The Department of Agriculture DA) “should organize the farmers to intensify goat milk production and ensure that their goats would continue to provider quality milk," Montes said.

Goat farmers must join international trade fairs and exhibits to expand their markets, the researcher said.

"There is a bright future in other countries for organic beauty and health products that use goat milk," Montes stressed.

The team reported to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) that the processing of goat milk for non-edible products like soap is more profitable for goat raisers.

Montes studied the operations of Splash Corp. and Kalapana Co. and found out that goat milk is a key ingredient in whitening soap and skin care products, and that the two companies even beat multinational corporations that had long been established in the business.

"Out of its total sales of more than P3 billion in 2007, Splash Corp. netted P298 million. It sells 14 beauty products ranging from exfoliants, anti-aging compounds, skin whitening lotions, skin whitening soaps and premium hair dyes, all of which use organic ingredients," Montes said.

The company sells its products in 25 countries in Africa, Asia and North America, with these markets accounting for 15 percent of Splash Corp.’s net sales.

"This company succeeded because it is engaged in the wider use of organic materials and is creative in developing new products and marketing them even during the turmoil of the global financial crisis," the researcher added.

Product innovations, value chain efficiencies and improvement in business practices have worked wonders for the company, the study said.

For its part, Kalapana markets a different type of moisturizing and whitening soap in the Philippines and overseas.

"The unique capability of Kalapana is that it has the technology to make soap with goat milk and virgin coconut oil (VCP) as principal ingredients," Montes said.

Kalapana makes 5,000 bars of soap from 120 liters of goat milk.

The soap has 5 percent goat milk, which is sold from P38 to P40, premium soap with 20 percent goat milk at P55 and soap for sensitive skin at P50.

Kalapana, Montes noted, has an advantage over competition since it has been trusted as a major source of beauty and health products that use goat milk.