ISKCON's Inspired Food Brand Ties Up With American Firm For 'Cruelty Free' Milk

Mumbai: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)-inspired 'cruelty-free' food brand, HariBol, announced a partnership with US-based Bankai Ventures, to build a transparent, technology-powered ecosystem across both dairy and non-dairy segments—blending traditional Vedic values with modern digital infrastructure.

HariBol operates in collaboration with rural farming communities committed to ethical, sustainable practices inspired by the principle of ahimsa or non-violence. In the dairy sector, this commitment means the lifelong protection of cows and bulls, supported by AI and IoT, enabled health monitoring systems that are offered at no cost to farmers.

Consumption of cattle milk is a divisive subject because of the cruelty to male calves and non-lactating animals. Vegans, therefore, refuse to consume dairy products. Gauranga Das, member of the governing body commission of ISKCON, reflected on the teachings of Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of ISKCON, when he stated, "Srila Prabhupada once said, ‘Milk is nothing but a religious principle. It is the miracle food given by the cow, and the cow is the most important animal in human society because she gives milk.’ But he also warned, ‘Nowadays milk is not pure. They are adding so many things - powder, water, even urea - to increase the volume. This is very bad. That milk will not have the effect.’ If this was his concern in the 1960s, one must ask - what is the state of our milk today?”

Yachneet Pushkarna, chief executive officer and director of HariBol, added: “By giving our farming partners access to cutting-edge AI tools free of charge and extending transparency across our value chain, we offer consumers an authentic view into every product’s journey—from soil and seed to cow and kitchen.”