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Dairy Situation in Malaysia
When shopping for groceries at supermarkets in Malaysia, you can generally get items at prices lower than those in Japan. Even when opting for slightly upscale supermarkets like Seijo Ishii, it doesn't put a significant strain on your wallet.
However, if you're buying dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, you'll find that they are often priced similarly to or slightly higher than in Japan. I sometimes have cereal for breakfast, so I keep milk at home, but it still feels a bit expensive compared to other food items.
The reason dairy products are costly in Malaysia primarily stems from their reliance on imports. As a local resident mentioned recently, Malaysia's climate is too hot for cows to produce milk effectively, so they import milk from New Zealand and Australia.
Milk Sold at Room Temperature!?
In Malaysian supermarkets, you can find milk sold at room temperature. It's called "Long Life" milk, which is filled into containers after being heat-treated, allowing it to have a shelf life of up to six months.
This might be surprising for those accustomed to Japanese standards, where milk is typically refrigerated, and you start wondering if it's still safe after a week. Apparently, in some countries, long-life milk is more popular than refrigerated milk.
Reading blogs from expatriates, it seems that refrigerated milk sometimes goes bad during transport, so while it may not have the same flavor as Japanese milk, some people prefer long-life milk.
I haven't made a firm choice yet, as I usually just buy from supermarkets or convenience stores, but I wonder which side I'll lean towards over the course of the year.
Nostalgic New Zealand Milk
I primarily bought milk from convenience stores, and here, I found a brand called "Fernleaf" from New Zealand, which also sells yogurt in the same aisle.
On the packaging, behind cows that, according to the illustration, don't thrive in Malaysia's climate, there's a mountain that might be Mt. Fuji!? It seems to be a brand targeting Southeast Asia.
Today, for the first time, I went to a slightly more upscale supermarket, similar to Seijo Ishii, in search of milk. I was looking for something specific: this huge plastic container (2 liters) of milk! I bought it without much thought, so I'm not sure if it's the delicious one!
Back in high school, when I went for a homestay in New Zealand, I used to drink milk like this every day at my host family's home. (Perhaps the ones in New Zealand were even larger?)
I remember being dropped off alone in front of a local mini-supermarket in New Zealand once and asked to do some shopping. At that time, my English skills weren't as good, and I couldn't communicate well with the store clerk, who was unfriendly and didn't understand my English. I was quite unsure about how to handle the situation.
To think that I'm now casually going to supermarkets abroad and doing my shopping, just like when I bought milk back then, is quite nostalgic.
Regarding recycling, Malaysia doesn't seem to have embraced recycling concepts as much as Japan. Still, these plastic containers can be recycled just like PET bottles.
I still have some milk in cartons, so I won't provide a taste report, but this larger bottle size comes in handy for stocking up on heavy milk. I need to make sure I consume it before it goes bad!
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