Milk lovers pay premium for milk at Friendship

[JensenZ]

Milk and dairy lovers probably know the price of 2L of milk (Meiji and most other brands) was 91.75 baht for many years and that recently it increased to 95 baht. 

 

I expected an increase was imminent and was pleasantly surprised the price only increased by 2.25 baht about a month ago, and it didn't increase for a long time during this extreme inflationary period.

 

The reason why I'm posting here is that I discovered yesterday, upon visiting Friendship Supermarket, that the price of 2L of plain milk was 112 baht, a 21% increase from the 91.75 base price. I hadn't visited Friendship for some weeks, so I don't know when they increased the price.

 

I went online to see if this was a general increase for all stores but discovered the price is still 95 baht everywhere else (7Eleven, Big C, Tesco, Tops).

 

So this leaves me to wonder if a huge increase is due, or if they are just having a go at their regular customers and/or trying to cash in on tourists who don't know any better.

 

 

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

So this leaves me to wonder if a huge increase is due, or if they are just having a go at their regular customers and/or trying to cash in on tourists who don't know any better.

Price of milk is set by the Thai government, it's one of the price controlled products.

If anyone is pricing it above the 95bht government set upper price, they should be reported to the authorities.

 

I prefer to buy 'Party Dairy' 2l milk from BigC for 83bht.

[JensenZ]

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Price of milk is set by the Thai government, i's one of the price controlled products.

If anyone is pricing it above the 95bht government set upper price, they should be reported to the authorities.

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't know that, but it does explain why price increases have been few and small over the years. Back when I arrived in 2005 it was 70 baht for 2L.

 

Friendship always added 0.25 baht to the mainstream price, which didn't bother me and I purchased milk there, but this increase is insulting. I'll just get my milk at other outlets. 

[KhunBENQ]

Friendship is kind of strange.

There are products which are Ok or cheaper than TOPS or other high price locations.

But for many products that I know they carry the winner label for highest price.

Up here 95 Baht as you mentioned.

[JensenZ]

6 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Friendship is kind of strange.

There are products which are Ok or cheaper than TOPS or other high price locations.

But for many products that I know they carry the winner label for highest price.

Up here 95 Baht as you mentioned.

They are definitely a mixed bag. I do get good deals there on many products and they carry items I can't get at other places.

[actonion]

Many of their products are over priced,   and past sell by dates,  i buy dog  treats    which cost  45 baht per packet  in most place,s  in friendship  supermarket they are much more expensive at 70b

[scubascuba3]

Ive never found friendship good value vs Big C, Makro, market

[digbeth]

you should see what Foodmart in Jomtien charges, they seem to add 5-10 baht to milk for a long time

 

Friendship is good value for 'grey import' items they seem to import themselves that you can't get at any other store

[JensenZ]

8 minutes ago, digbeth said:

you should see what Foodmart in Jomtien charges, they seem to add 5-10 baht to milk for a long time

 

Friendship is good value for 'grey import' items they seem to import themselves that you can't get at any other store

I'd have to be quite desperate for something to go to Foodmart. I live quite close, but I haven't been there for over a year.

[digbeth]

Are you sure it was 'regular' plain milk with blue label for Meiji? 

I know they have a 'dry cow' problem for a while and supply of milk is spotty especially in larger sizes for restaurants, and they often have 'Barista Milk' or 'Lactose Free' milk that's usually 100+ baht in stead where that earns them more money 

[JensenZ]

8 minutes ago, digbeth said:

Are you sure it was 'regular' plain milk with blue label for Meiji? 

I know they have a 'dry cow' problem for a while and supply of milk is spotty especially in larger sizes for restaurants, and they often have 'Barista Milk' or 'Lactose Free' milk that's usually 100+ baht in stead where that earns them more money 

Yes, I'm absolutely sure it's the basic Meiji plain milk (blue cap), the low fat (light blue cap), and the zero fat (white cap). I buy a lot of milk so I'm quite familiar with regular milk products and the special creamy formulations. Meiji Barista is 101 baht at Big C and the "Ray" formulation is 99 baht, still well short of the 112 baht that Friendship is currently charging for regular Meiji milk. Sometimes I buy lactose-free milk for my wife, which is quite a bit more expensive.

[dingdongrb]

3 hours ago, JensenZ said:

and/or trying to cash in on tourists who don't know any better.

555......  I'm sure the majority of the tourists are running to Friendship and buying milk......  ????

[JensenZ]

Just now, dingdongrb said:

555......  I'm sure the majority of the tourists are running to Friendship and buying milk......  ????

They were quite busy yesterday. People don't necessarily run to stores to buy milk, but buy while they are there. I have noticed they sell a lot as the shelves are sometimes quite bare and they don't have the milk I'm looking for - someone is buying it.

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, JensenZ said:

they carry items I can't get at other places.

True. Tried many shops for caraway. They had it.

(I know caraway is a hate or love item ????).

[Mickeymaus]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ive never found friendship good value vs Big C, Makro, market

Many things went up in price during the last months. But I always buy there meat, sausage, ham, bacon, spices and frozen vegetables. They are mostly cheaper than other shops. But it is also true that not everything is a bargain there. 

[mran66]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Price of milk is set by the Thai government, it's one of the price controlled products.

If anyone is pricing it above the 95bht government set upper price, they should be reported to the authorities.

 

I prefer to buy 'Party Dairy' 2l milk from BigC for 83bht.

Talking about milk, some subejectively scientific observations:

 

I've had the habit of only buying the Meiji milk until couple of weeks ago, purely out of curiosity, thought I would try if any difference between different brands and started to buy different can every time until can not find new ones.

 

Bought a can of the red-labeled stuff, packed in cylindrical 2L can from BigC -> down to drain after taste. Too 'milky' odd taste to my mouth

 

Then tried the Foremost rectangular can -> same result, too much of the odd taste.

 

Next in line the Party Dairy from BigC (indeed 10 bath cheaper for some reason) -> taste identical to Meiji

 

Then the black-capped stuff in similar shape can with Meiji -> again, no difference to Meiji in my mouth.

 

Next Thai-Danmark in similar shape blue capped can as Meiji -> same taste with Meiji again.

 

Still to test at least the Chockchai brand 

 

I only use milk for coffee - but drink A LOT of coffee. Surprised the two odd tasting brands actually make even coffee taste not good to my mouth.

 

 

 

[JensenZ]

21 minutes ago, mran66 said:

Talking about milk, some subejectively scientific observations:

 

I've had the habit of only buying the Meiji milk until couple of weeks ago, purely out of curiosity, thought I would try if any difference between different brands and started to buy different can every time until can not find new ones.

 

Bought a can of the red-labeled stuff, packed in cylindrical 2L can from BigC -> down to drain after taste. Too 'milky' odd taste to my mouth

 

Then tried the Foremost rectangular can -> same result, too much of the odd taste.

 

Next in line the Party Dairy from BigC (indeed 10 bath cheaper for some reason) -> taste identical to Meiji

 

Then the black-capped stuff in similar shape can with Meiji -> again, no difference to Meiji in my mouth.

 

Next Thai-Danmark in similar shape blue capped can as Meiji -> same taste with Meiji again.

 

Still to test at least the Chockchai brand 

 

I only use milk for coffee - but drink A LOT of coffee. Surprised the two odd tasting brands actually make even coffee taste not good to my mouth.

I find most brands taste ok, with the noted exception of Dutch Mill. Chokchai has a slight edge IMO. Most brands have extra creamy formulations, which I like to use for coffee.

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, mran66 said:

Bought a can of the red-labeled stuff, packed in cylindrical 2L can from BigC -> down to drain after taste. Too 'milky' odd taste to my mouth

 

Then tried the Foremost rectangular can -> same result, too much of the odd taste.

All Seasons, not as highly processed as the other milks, goes off quickly when warm and BigC have a habit of leaving it outside the cooler for too long.

Foremost, made from milk power.

 

So that's the odd tastes explained.

[NanLaew]

On 11/27/2022 at 3:40 PM, mran66 said:

Talking about milk, some subejectively scientific observations:

 

I've had the habit of only buying the Meiji milk until couple of weeks ago, purely out of curiosity, thought I would try if any difference between different brands and started to buy different can every time until can not find new ones.

 

Bought a can of the red-labeled stuff, packed in cylindrical 2L can from BigC -> down to drain after taste. Too 'milky' odd taste to my mouth

 

Then tried the Foremost rectangular can -> same result, too much of the odd taste.

 

Next in line the Party Dairy from BigC (indeed 10 bath cheaper for some reason) -> taste identical to Meiji

 

Then the black-capped stuff in similar shape can with Meiji -> again, no difference to Meiji in my mouth.

 

Next Thai-Danmark in similar shape blue capped can as Meiji -> same taste with Meiji again.

 

Still to test at least the Chockchai brand 

 

I only use milk for coffee - but drink A LOT of coffee. Surprised the two odd tasting brands actually make even coffee taste not good to my mouth.

 

 

 

I used to be a Chokchai buyer until I had a couple of dodgy bottles several years ago. Switched to Magnolia which has been my go-to ever since. I am just back from extended trips overseas and up here in Udon there's no large jugs of Magnolia 'leaded' or 'unleaded' in the usual outlets. With shortages and price hikes, maybe there's something afoot in the Thai dairy industry?

[bang saen guy]

Villa has Magnolia on occasion. Their price on milk has risen to 95 this week also

[billd766]

I paid 95.75 baht for 2 litres of Meiji black cap milk in the local 7/11 in rural Kamphaeng Phet this morning.

[Jingthing]

Us soy boys don't have such problems. 

[Gottfrid]

Yeah, it´s a terrible problem. Imagine paying 1 dollar more for 2 liter of milk. You are all hillrarious, guys!

[Phulublub]

On 11/27/2022 at 2:50 PM, JensenZ said:

They were quite busy yesterday. People don't necessarily run to stores to buy milk, but buy while they are there. I have noticed they sell a lot as the shelves are sometimes quite bare and they don't have the milk I'm looking for - someone is buying it.

Maybe they are having similar supply problems to some of the 7-11s?  Several in  central Pattaya have been without on many occasions over the past couple of weeks.

 

PH

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Us soy boys don't have such problems. 

Is that the horrid sickly sweet stuff?

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Is that the horrid sickly sweet stuff?

Nope. Unsweetened Kikkoman.

[JensenZ]

On 11/28/2022 at 6:41 PM, billd766 said:

I paid 95.75 baht for 2 litres of Meiji black cap milk in the local 7/11 in rural Kamphaeng Phet this morning.

Yes, it appears that only Friendship is charging 112 baht for regular Meiji. It's important to note that Friendship never marked up their milk in the past except rounding 91.75 to 92 baht.

[JensenZ]

On 11/28/2022 at 7:58 PM, Gottfrid said:

Yeah, it´s a terrible problem. Imagine paying 1 dollar more for 2 liter of milk. You are all hillrarious, guys!

I wondered how long it was going to take for someone to come along and ridicule anyone who complains about a price increase. Thank you for being that guy - it's hillarious how predictable your type are.

 

Let me be quite clear. I started this thread to discuss a very unusual price increase. it's 18% higher than anywhere else in town. I'm not complaining about it because I can buy milk at the correct price on every street corner and every other supermarket.

 

Now if milk did geniunely increase by 18% overnight, it would not be a trivial matter as all dairy products would also increase in price by a similar percentage. Cheese, Yogurt, butter, baby forumulas and many other products. 

[Gottfrid]

9 hours ago, JensenZ said:

I wondered how long it was going to take for someone to come along and ridicule anyone who complains about a price increase. Thank you for being that guy - it's hillarious how predictable your type are.

 

Let me be quite clear. I started this thread to discuss a very unusual price increase. it's 18% higher than anywhere else in town. I'm not complaining about it because I can buy milk at the correct price on every street corner and every other supermarket.

 

Now if milk did geniunely increase by 18% overnight, it would not be a trivial matter as all dairy products would also increase in price by a similar percentage. Cheese, Yogurt, butter, baby forumulas and many other products. 

I will give you another predictable answer. Then buy your milk in the cheaper outlets.

[dingdongrb]

10 hours ago, JensenZ said:

Now if milk did geniunely increase by 18% overnight, it would not be a trivial matter as all dairy products would also increase in price by a similar percentage. Cheese, Yogurt, butter, baby forumulas and many other products. 

You apparently have no idea how markets and manufacturing works, do you?

 

Why does oil price go up one day but gasoline doesn't change price until weeks later?