Milk in cans: Kalbe Nutritionals recreates flagship adult milk formula into RTD cans
Marketed as Entrasol Can Susu Steril, the 180-ml canned sterile milk is an addition to the existing range consisting of powder packed in tins, carton packs, or sachets, as well as a RTD carton.
Like most products under Entrasol, the latest launch is formulated with olive fruit extract, calcium, omega-3 and 6, vitamin D for bone and immune health.
The new format, said to be rich in antioxidants due to the olive fruit extract, is designed to help busy adults supplement their immune and bone health needs.
In particular, hydroxytyrosol, the active compound in olive fruit extract, is an antioxidant that could also help support the bone’s absorption of calcium.
“For the productive, daily routines could be a challenge because these would make them busy. Entrasol Can Susu Steril is here to provide an answer to this challenge, especially in protecting ourselves from free radicals,” said Robertus Parulian Purba, director of Adult and Specialised Nutrition of Kalbe Nutritionals, at the launch.
In its FY24 first quarter financial results, Kalbe Nutritionals’ net sales was up 1.9 per cent year-on-year, which it said was “driven by growth in the affordable segment and beverage category”.
It added that it would continue developing specialty product categories and affordable segment to strengthen market share.
Canned sterilised milk in Indonesia
Nestle’s Bear Brand is perhaps the most popular canned sterilised milk brand in Indonesia, although other local players have also entered scene with products containing functional ingredients. An example is food and beverage firm Mayora Group known for its Kopiko coffee candy.
Nestle’s Bear Brand is a sterilised pure cow’s milk sold in 189-ml cans.
Back in 2021, there were series of panic buying of the product due to claims spreading on the internet that it could treat COVID-19. This was subsequently refuted by the chair of Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) COVID-19 Task Force, Zubairi Djoerban.
On e-commerce site Tokopedia, Entrasol Can Susu Steril is sold at the usual price of Rp14.900 (US$0.92), while Bear Brand at the usual price of Rp 64.200 (US$3.96) for six cans.
Indomilk, Collagena, and Tujuh Kurma are the other brands found on Tokopedia selling canned sterilised milk.
Both Collagena and Tujuh Kurma are brands from Mayora Group.
Collagena, launched late last year, is said to be made with milk imported from New Zealand and 980mg of collagen. Other key ingredients include calcium, vitamins, and minerals. It is priced at Rp12.900 (US$0.80) per can.
Tujuh Kurma, on the other hand, is made with both milk and dates, while Indomilk is also a cow’s milk product by PT Indolakto, a subsidiary of Indofood.
