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Industrial visit to Yakult India Pvt. Ltd-Another bridge between theory and practical

“Mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water”-Sigmund Freud. The same is applicable to everything including the classroom teachings where the theoretical concepts do not represent the transparent picture completely unless the practical aspect is added to it. This creates a gap between the theory and the practical which exists in the real life situations. Therefore, in an attempt to bridge the gap between these two aspects, an industrial visit to Yakult Danone India (P) Ltd was organized for MBA students by the Baba Farid College of Management & Technology (BFCMT) on 16th October, 2013. The company is engaged into manufacturing of probiotic drinks today with over 75 years of history, it has become a global leader in the market. Yakult Danone India (P) Ltd is a 50:50 JV between Yakult Honsha, Japan and Groupe Danone of France, both of which are global probiotic leaders. As many as 120 students of MBA-I semester had visited the company premises accompanied by faculty members: Mr. Saurav Bansal, Mr. Gurinder Singh, Ms. Nandita Goyal and Ms. Ruchika Rawat.

On behalf of the company Mr. Jagdish Hegde (Country Head, Logistics) accorded a warm welcome to the students. The students were directed towards the conference hall and discussed in brief the milestones of the company. Mr. Hegde started the session on a very interactive note and gave a brief overview of the company and its diversified operations. He further explained the way it evolved as a leading brand in the market and touched upon the crucial factors like supply chain management, Market Research, Target Market, Pricing and Packaging strategies, Distribution model, advertisement, etc.

Thereafter the students were taken around the manufacturing plant to demonstrate the actual operations of the company. Mr. Hegde explained the entire process in a very sequential manner from seed formation to culture and fermentation process and simultaneous processes like water filtration, laboratory testing etc. The students were amazed by the fully automated process of bottle manufacturing, filling and manufacturing where human touch was almost negligible. In the last, the students were made to visit the Research and Development (R&D) department and explained it as key parameter for success in manufacturing industry. He further discussed the way company leveraged its technical know-how and became a globally accepted company with continuous focus on R&D.

The last session of the visit was very interactive where the students got an opportunity to have a discussion with the management on key issues like: production, Supply Chain, Logistics Manager and they all interacted with the students on the quality standards and customer confidence. The officials were impressed by the initiative and inquisitive attitude of the students and provided a thorough sneak into core business areas. They really appreciated the eagerness of the students to learn new things.

The visit lasted couple of hours but the kind of influence it left upon the students is irreversible.

The students realized the practical significance of theory based concepts in their curriculum. They really appreciated the efforts made by officials for providing in depth details relating to manufacturing process and the latest developments in the industry. In overall it was like exploring the rest six-seventh of an iceberg. 

All together a memorable experience. Who said learning was tough?!!!