Public-Private Partnership and the Evolution of a Social Mission: The Case of the KDBC/Maeil Dairies

This study examines the history of the Korean Dairy and Beef Company (currently Maeil Dairies) in establishing the dairy industry from scratch in the 1970s onwards as an example of public-private partnership (PPP) alleviating poverty in developing countries. With a social mission of providing affordable protein sources to the poor as an integral part of the business, the company created a tremendous momentum to kick-start the dairy industry by monitoring, coordinating, and managing different stakeholders ranging from international organizations, the government, and farmers. This study highlights the PPP’s role in poverty reduction and discusses the challenges for the future.