Did You Know?
Human consumption of camel’s milk is not a new or unfounded idea. In fact, the milk of camels has supported people since the domestication of camels several millennia ago.
Current 10 billion USD global market for camel milk is expected to grow by CAGR 7% in next 5 years yielding additional 4.24 billion USD.
- Camel milk contains about 52 units of insulin per liter. This amount is almost 60% more than the average necessary external insulin administration for type 1 diabetics. Several studies across the world have revealed that camel milk has the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes among consumers. This will drive the popularity of camel milk among diabetic patients, fueling the growth of this global market.
- Camel milk is one of the most valuable beverages in the world, selling for $72 per gallon in the United States and luxury price levels internationally as opposed to about $4 of cow milk.
- Australia is already succeeding and so is Africa in this $10B global market. No one with brand style or technology sophistication has claimed this growing global market.
Climate Change Making Camel’s Milk a Valuable
Acknowledging the far reaching impacts of climate change, increasing number of governments and businesses try to counter the negative effects or adjust the practices to emerging changes. Camel’s milk serve as good example of public-private partnership which can successfully tackle ongoing droughts and create multibillion dollar business opportunities, while doing so.
Public Private Partnership Answers to Climate Change Struggles:
- Growing impact of climate change has already surpassed interest of pure academic and research circles. Expected negative effects (droughts, rainfalls, abnormal changes in temperature etc.) may affect millions of people around the planet.
- NASA’s top researcher suggests that the worst drought in 900 years ìs upon us in several parts of the world.
- Severe droughts and change in natural habitats, for humans and animals alike, create food shortages and and trigger social unrest and even military conflicts.
Camel’s Milk Solves Big Global Health Challenges
Milk and dairy products are one of the major nutritional components for world population. Major source of milk and other dairy products is cattle, accounting for 83% of world milk production. In an arid, desert landscape, cattle farming depletes resources and finances. In order to accommodate the needs of dairy cows, alarming amounts of water for vegetation and electricity to power cooling systems are required. Given the fact that temperature is further raising, cattle farming becomes even less efficient and thus largely unsustainable.
Camel’s milk could become an alternative to cattle milk, as a prudent and worthwhile course of action for locales in which camels are a native species. Camels are well-adapted to their regional desert climates, as they do not require the heavy use of resources as cattle and can produce four times more milk than cattle in desert conditions. Indeed, an encouraging report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) suggests that camel farming may be a step towards combating desertification in desert habitats (Breaulmann et al, 2007).
A switch to the production of camel’s milk from cattle milk fortunately does not mean a sacrifice of health and nutrition. Camel milk is packed with nutrients and is often given to infants suffering from malnutrition. When compared to bovine milk fat, camel milk fat contains higher concentrations of long-chain fatty acids (versus short-chain fatty acids), making it a much healthier alternative. It does not easily coagulate and can reach the intestines virtually unchanged for absorption. With less lactose but still a high vitamin and mineral concentration, camel milk may also be a desirable milk alternative for the large percentage of the world population deemed to be lactose-intolerant.
Looking Forward
Who will be the major healthcare innovator to focus Camel’s Milk on the lucrative target market of young people living in urban areas? These consumers are aware of their personal health to a larger extent but also about the environment. They tend to care more about sustainability and how products are produced and shipped. And one could also ask the question, why traditional dairy farms have not transitioned to camel’s milk given the greater profit margins and consumer health benefits?