Malaysians suddenly cannot find Farm Fresh milk easily – and it has nothing to do with cows

KUALA LUMPUR – When media executive Angie Ng went grocery shopping in Kuala Lumpur in early April, she was surprised to find her usual brand of milk missing. The 51-year-old, who regularly buys 2-litre bottles of Farm Fresh milk for her family of three, was met with empty shelves where the product is usually stocked. “I was shocked,” she told The Straits Times, relating how she left the store empty-handed. Her experience, echoed in some social media posts, offers a stark look at how the Middle East conflict is rattling Malaysian supply chains at the consumer level. The shortage stems not from a lack of milk, but from disruptions far upstream. In response, local dairy brand Farm Fresh – which also exports to Singapore – has been quick to clarify that it is not running out of milk. Instead, the issue lies in packaging: specifically, a shortage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin that is widely used for beverage bottles, food containers, packaging and other household-related ...