Dairies

Prime Dairies Limited (PDL), inaugurated in 1982, was one of the first dairy and ice cream manufacturers in Pakistan. It introduced packaged yogurt in the market and enjoyed a monopoly for almost 25 years as a premium dairy and ice cream producer. With a fully equipped dairy processing plant set up in the Changa Manga District of Lahore, PDL produced yoghurt, pasteurized milk, condensed milk, cheese and an extensive range of ice cream flavors.

Rising to the need for safe and advanced food packing at the time, PDL pioneered the concept of food packaging in Pakistan by setting up its own plastic packaging line using imported machinery from Sweden and Italy – the very first of its kind in Pakistan. The company had an efficient and widespread distribution channel that catered to around 75% of the country’s total population. The company set up its own customized refrigerated distribution setup for dairy products – yet another novel concept that was not present at the time. Thus, the foundations of the refrigeration industry and “cold chain” were established in Pakistan.

Prime’s ice cream was supplied under the brand name “Rocco”. Rocco Dairy Ice Cream was one of the few ice cream companies that used fresh dairy ingredients for its products at the time. Both Prime and Rocco became household names that continue being fondly commemorated for their variety and consistent quality.