‘Farmer’s journey into artisanal ice-cream making’
KUALA LUMPUR: When he embarked on his dairy ca lerearing business six years ago, he only had enough capital to buy one cow.
Today, he owns 20 Australian Jersey-Friesian cows and even produces his own premium artisanal ice cream under the brand name MUULK.
The idiom ‘where there is a will, there is a way’ suits Megat Azim Jamil to a ‘T’.
The 42-year-old entrepreneur told Bernama that he did not expect to succeed to this extent, adding that his accomplishment served as evidence that hard work and determination could lead to success.
He said he developed an interest in business a er he engaged in small-scale entrepreneurial activities during his university days. In 2012, he chose to venture into dairy farming and used his savings of RM7,000 to buy a cow, which he named ‘Jasmin’.
“I then started supplying and selling flavoured bo led fresh milk around Selangor, using the milk produced by Jasmin,” he said, adding that he operated his business under the guidance of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).
Over the years, his business grew and he now has 20 dairy ca le grazing on his 1.2-hectare farm in Semenyih, Selangor.
In the meantime, Megat Azim also observed that there was a strong demand for ice-creams made from fresh milk sourced from dairy cows.
Seeing its great potential, in 2020 he went on to establish ‘MUULK Artisan Dairy’ – a subsidiary of MUULK Holdings Sdn Bhd – to produce his own range of artisanal ice-creams at his milk processing plant in Desa Permai Subang in Shah Alam, Selangor.
The milk for his frozen treats is sourced entirely from the cows on his farm.
Brisk sales
Megat Azim, who has five workers on his company’s payroll, said he learned to make ice-cream from chefs and other ice-cream dealers.
With the help of DVS, he was also able to gain some knowledge on ice-cream production from dairy product experts all over the country.
He also did his own research and development to create seven flavours for his ice-creams.
Among the fast-selling flavours are ‘Callebaut Belgian Chocolate’, ‘Starbucks Dark Roast’, ‘Oreos & Cream’ and ‘Bu er Pecan’.
“I am currently in the process of adding new flavours because the sales of some of my existing flavours were hit by the (ongoing) Palestine-Israel conflict,” he said.
Megat Azim’s MUULK icecream brand, meanwhile, is continuing to capture the interest of ice-cream enthusiasts in the Klang Valley who appreciate its creamy texture and the distinctive taste of locally sourced milk.
Besides the Klang Valley, MUULK ice-creams are also available in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan as well as Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. They can also be bought via online platforms.
The ice-creams are reasonably priced at RM8 per 100ml cup, and RM29 per 473-ml cup.
According to Megat Azim, his company sells between 10,000 and 20,000 cups of ice-cream a month and the robust sales have not only allowed him to turn a profit, but also recover the RM100,000 that he had invested in the first year of operations of MUULK Artisan Dairy.
All natural
To produce quality ice-cream, it is essential to have a sound farm and livestock management system in place, according to him, adding that healthy cows produce high-quality milk.
“The fresh milk is pasteurised at 63 degrees Celsius in accordance with Malaysian and world food standards. A er that, the milk fat is separated using the centrifuge machine.
“The isolated fat forms the basis of our delicious ice cream products,” he said, pointing out that MUULK’s ice-creams do not contain any artificial colouring, preservative or flavouring.
Megat Azim also said to ensure the quality of the milk produced by his cows would remain high, he strove to improve his knowledge and adopt the best practices especially in the care of dairy ca le as they were highly sensitive to changes in their environment.
“Caring for ca le requires considerable commitment as they have to be protected against diseases. I lost tens of thousands of ringgit when seven of my cows succumbed to a contagious disease between 2012 and 2015,” he said.
Megat Azim may be a successful entrepreneur now, but he still practices a hands-on approach when it comes to the management of his farm.
His daily routine starts before dawn when he checks on his cows to ensure they are healthy and fit before bathing them.
The animals are fed nutritional supplements and vitamin pallets before they are taken to the dedicated milking area.
“In Australia, each of these (Jersey-Friesian) cows can produce around 50 litres of milk a day, but in our country, they can produce only 20 litres due to our weather conditions and the difference in the widths of the enclosures we use here.
“This is why it is crucial that we provide them with nutritious food,” he said, adding he is also the ‘resident midwife’ when his cows calve.
“The unique experience (of assisting a cow when it gives birth) has helped me to become more mature… it also inspires me to continue to excel as a dairy farmer and entrepreneur.”
He also employs artificial insemination or selective breeding techniques to preserve the quality of his stock as well as maintain the quality of milk produced at his farm.
‘Expand empire’
This ambitious entrepreneur already has expansion plans in mind and wants to build a 185.8square-metre plant to process milk and make ice-cream. It will also include facilities for the public to buy dairy products directly from the company.
“Eventually, we hope to have our own milk and ice cream production (facility) in each state considering the substantial value of the domestic dairy market which remains largely untapped,” said Megat Azim, who is aiming to penetrate the international market within the next three years. His other plans for this year include se ing up an integrated farm in Puncak Alam, Selangor, encompassing livestock (ca le, goats and chickens) farming and vegetable cultivation.
“If this project is successfully implemented, I plan to improve the skills of local entrepreneurs and beef ca le farmers so that they can participate in the dairy farming sector as well,” he added.
Megat Azim also plans to develop a facility to process animal waste into plant fertiliser to save on operational costs at his proposed integrated farm.
For more information on MUULK products, visit www. muulk.com.my.