[Written in partnership with The Farm Shop, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]
In the “olden” days, the job of the milkman was a paramount one. With refrigeration being a rare commodity, they would bring milk—a pantry must-have for most families—to customers’ doorsteps daily, ensuring a fresh dairy supply every day.
With the advent of residential refrigerators, though, daily milk deliveries became obsolete.
And yet, one of the brands bringing that practice back is none other than Malaysia’s very own The Farm Shop.
Meet the milk(wo)men
The Farm Shop was founded in 2022 by four women—Sushma Sivasriamphai, Karen Kow, Hasniza Binti Ali, and Dr Tan I-Lene. The plan was simple: to make minimally processed food more accessible, starting with milk.
Taking their R&D process seriously, the team scrutinised the nutrition of the dairy cows themselves as well as worked with local farmers to improve their cows’ feed.
The result of their hard work are fresh dairy products that do not contain preservatives or shelf-life enhancers.
This quality is true for The Farm’s Shop’s catalogue of items which includes whole milk, barista’s choice milk, chocolate milk, goat’s milk, and A2 milk.
And with their new programme, this array of fresh dairy goods is more accessible than ever.
A response to the demand
Dubbed the Milk(Wo)man Plan, The Farm Shop’s subscription programme was born from customer demand.
Noticing that regulars wanted a standing order for convenience, the team created The Milk(Wo)man Plan, guaranteeing a steady supply of fresh, minimally processed milk.
“Milk is a pantry staple we only notice when it runs out, so a subscription ensures it’s always there—no hassle, no thought required,” Dr Tan I-Lene, one of the four founders of The Farm Shop, elaborated.
Like traditional milk deliveries, The Farm Shop’s plan ensures that customers can get fresh milk at their doorsteps safely. Unlike the old days, their milk is pasteurised and hygienically sealed in bottles, of course.
As an extra precaution, The Farm Shop also vows to replace any milk that spoils within 24 hours of delivery.
Sampling the programme, risk-free
Convenience and safety aside, The Farm Shop wanted the plan to be financially feasible, too. That’s why they introduced the Godfather Offer where subscribers get a free month of dairy supply for every four-month purchase.
They also have a one-month plan with special pricing for their pasteurised milk variant to ease customers into the subscription model.
The standard price is RM10.50 per litre, but subscribers enjoy discounts based on weekly order volume:
- 2–3 bottles/week: RM10.20 per liter
- 4 bottles/week: RM10 per liter
- 6 bottles/week: RM9.85 per liter
- 8–10 bottles/week: RM9.50 per liter
And no, there are no hidden delivery fees.
Beyond their pricing model that rewards loyalty, The Farm Shop also has new perks for subscribers in the pipeline.
To further lower the barrier to entry, The Farm Shop has a SUSUFREE promotion that offers a free first bottle to let customers experience the programme risk-free.
A rise in milk subscriptions
With how much these subscriptions make sense, it’s no surprise that The Farm Shop isn’t the only one who’s reviving the culture of daily milk deliveries.
However, the founders believe that their service has a competitive advantage thanks to their end-to-end control.
“We control the entire process—from farm to delivery—unlike services that repackage and deliver milk,” the team explained. “This means unmatched quality, freshness, and traceability. Plus, our milk is minimally processed, additive-free, and delivered with no extra charges.”
On top of that, The Farm Shop offers more than milk. The team has ventured into add-ons including yoghurt, cheeses, bread, and eggs.
Customers can also adjust delivery weeks as needed easily over WhatsApp. To better streamline The Milk(Wo)man Plan, the team is also investing into tech enhancements to facilitate subscriptions via an improved online platform.
Beyond the milk
Bringing their fresh dairy products to more people, The Farm Shop has expanded into Penang, Johor, and Melaka. Their sight is set on Singapore, where they often get inquiries from.
Expanding further comes with its own host of challenges, requiring the team to tackle transit times, freshness, and logistics.
To do this, they’ve implemented strategic scheduling with fortnightly deliveries to Ipoh, Seremban, Melaka, Penang, and Johor Bahru. This is paired with their robust cold chain management to ensure peak freshness. They also have local partnerships to complete the last-mile delivery.
To strengthen their cold chain logistics, the team is investing in growing their fleet of cold chain vehicles. “We have three at present, with number four coming on soon,” Dr Tan added.
In The Farm Shop’s bid to become Malaysia’s leading fresh dairy provider, the team is focusing on a number of pillars.
One is championing local agriculture and strengthening sustainable supply chains.
Education is also key in this quest. Specifically, The Farm Shop aims to educate Malaysians on what real nutrition is, and why natural, minimally processed food wins out against ultra-processed foods.
To cater to more people, they also aim to expand their offerings and launch more high quality dairy products in addition to seasonal specials.
“In fact, we have a blue ocean range that is slated for launch this year,” they shared.
Wrapping everything up is their sustainability initiatives, which includes exploring reusable packaging, bottle return programmes, and eco-friendly deliveries.
“Our vision is to be your trusted source for nutrition,” Dr Tan reminded. “That means a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that benefits both consumers and farmers, delivering premium minimally processed food nationwide.”
- Learn more about The Farm Shop here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Featured Image Credit: The Farm Shop
