In China, Inner Mongolia-based Yili Group—Asia’s largest dairy company—secured four World Dairy Innovation Awards at the 2025 Global Dairy Congress held in Amsterdam. The company’s award-winning innovations span intolerance-friendly products, ice cream, artisan dairy, and sustainability, reinforcing its global leadership in dairy innovation and export-driven growth.
In a major recognition of China’s innovation capabilities in the dairy sector, Yili Group—headquartered in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia—won four awards at the prestigious 2025 Global Dairy Congress held in Amsterdam. This marks the sixth consecutive year the company has been recognized, highlighting its sustained excellence in dairy innovation and sustainable development.
Yili received accolades in four major categories: intolerance-friendly innovation, ice cream, artisan dairy, and CSR/sustainability. The awards were selected from 177 global submissions across 20 categories, reflecting intense international competition and the high quality of Yili’s submissions.
Yili’s innovation leadership is supported by a robust global R&D network, including 15 innovation centers across Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Central to this is China’s national-level dairy innovation center, led by Yili. The company also maintains research partnerships with globally respected institutions such as Wageningen University in the Netherlands and Lincoln University in New Zealand.
One of Yili’s standout projects—the Zhenhu Platinum infant formula, inspired by human breast milk—was developed with the Donders Institute and has led to 28 patents. The formula, already launched in Hong Kong, underlines Yili’s strategic push into premium, high-margin nutritional markets.
In addition to infant formula, Yili’s ongoing R&D spans probiotics, sugar reduction, and functional cheese, aligning with global health-conscious consumer trends. The company’s innovative product lines now contribute 16.8% of its total revenue, reinforcing its position as Asia’s top dairy brand and signaling a successful pivot toward diversified, sustainable growth.
As the global dairy landscape continues to evolve, Yili’s achievements demonstrate that innovation-led development can strengthen not just product portfolios but also national export potential and international brand presence.
