ICCC's Hard Hats Tour of Hans Dairy

Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) organised a Hard Hats Tour at Hans Dairy on November 21, 2012, which saw an enthusiastic response from the Chamber’s members. Speaking on the occasion, Naval Bajaj, President of the Chamber said that purpose of the Hard Hats Tour is to provide an innovative learning opportunity to ICCC’s members. “The participants are given a privileged behind the scenes tour of a successful business enterprise, where owners of participating businesses host the tours and provide insight into establishing and managing a successful business.”

Gurdarshan Hans established Hans Dairy in 1997 and since then it has grown to become the largest Ontario dairy specializing in South Asian dairy products. Born in Malaysia, Gurdarshan emigrated from Punjab to England in 1963. He came to Canada in 1975 and saw a growing need for ethnic products as the multicultural community was rapidly expanding. Gurdarshan launched Hans Dairy as a milk distribution company and nearly a decade later, when his daughter Sarab Hans joined the company, Hans Dairy launched a series of South Asian dairy products that turned the dairy into one of the fastest South Asian dairies in Canada.

Today, Hans Dairy has an established line of products: Dahi (yogurt), Lassi (butter milk), Makhan (butter) and fruit smoothies available in five different flavours. Hans Dairy’s mission statement from the very beginning has been to offer dairy products that provide their customers with a little taste of home.

Sarab Hans, the Managing Director of Hans Dairy, while conducting the tour of the dairy’s processing facility, gave an overview of the project and narrated the different approaches the dairy took to win customers. “Today, we fulfill the needs of the South Asians and give them a taste of their home in Canada.” Sarab joined this business in 2006 and through her enthusiasm, direction and innovative approach radically changed the dairy products business.

In a session that was immensely educative to the participants, Sarab explained the entire process of turning milk from raw material to finished product for the market. Hans Dairy uses high quality bacteria for the yogurt which is healthy for the human body and is vital in preserving the products for up to 40 days without the need for chemicals. Hans Dairy takes pride in producing all natural products with no additives or preservatives and will continue to do so going forward.