Yili (Shanghai: 600887), one of the world's top five dairy producers, attended 
the Bo'ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2021 as Diamond Partner and 
the only invited enterprise from China's dairy industry. 

A sub-forum of the event, themed "Technological Advances and the Construction 
of Global Health Ecosystem", was held in Bo'ao on the afternoon of April 19. 
Participants invited to attend the sub-forum included CEO of Yili Group, Zhang 
Jianqiu; Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chen Junshi; 
Chairman of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, Meng Suhe; 
Managing Director of China Nutrition Society, Wang Zhixu; former table tennis 
world champion Deng Yaping; Chinese actress Lan Yingying; and Dr. Yun Zhanyou, 
Assistant President of Yili Group.

During the panel discussion, Zhang Jianqiu shared Yili's innovation experience 
in the health food industry. "Innovation is the constant practice that Yili has 
been sticking to. Over the years, following a 'customer-centric' custom, Yili 
has produced its 'innovation trilogy': empowering whole chain innovation via 
digital transformation, building an innovation system through the 'dual 
integration', and driving product innovation with technological R&D," said 
Zhang Jianqiu in his speech.

Empowering whole chain innovation with digital transformation

As a leading player in the industry, Yili has continued to promote digital 
upgrades throughout the industry chain to better meet the personalized and 
diversified needs of customers.

In the upper sector of the industry chain, Yili has built "smart farms" to 
accurately collect physical data of every cow to ensure that every drop of milk 
is of the best quality. In the middle sector, Yili's "smart factories" have 
introduced automation equipments and system to improve operation efficiency. In 
the lower sector, Yili has built an end-to-end big data-based intelligence 
insight platform to improve product and service quality.

Building an innovation system with the 'dual integration' of intelligence and 
industry

With the support of the "Global Health Ecosystem", Yili has integrated 
high-quality global resources and has committed itself to contributing more to 
global health, placing customers at the center.

Yili has strengthened the integration of international think-tanks. In the 
Netherlands, Yili has established and upgraded the Yili Innovation Center 
Europe. "We are pooling global intelligence to build a wisdom chain worldwide 
and serve customers all over the world," said Zhang Jianqiu.

Yili has also accelerated global industrial convergence. Yili has built 
overseas projects such as the Oceania Production Base in New Zealand, among 
other locations, and has been committed to building a world-class brand drawing 
together top global resources. To date, Yili has won global partnerships in 
five continents and 33 countries. 

Driving product innovation with scientific and technological R&D

As the trend of higher-level consumption continues, customers' demands for 
health and product quality grows exponentially. Yili has continually meet such 
demands with investment in technology R&D. Data analysis reveals that, Yili has 
invested more than RMB 400 million annually over the last several years in R&D, 
more than the industry average. As of 2019, Yili ranked top three of the 
world's top ten dairy industries for total number of global patent applications.

With the innovative application of LHT lactose hydrolysis technology, Yili 
makes it possible for even 90% of lactose intolerant Asians to enjoy nutritious 
and tasty milk. Yili has been working on breast milk research for 19 years and 
has accumulated tens of millions of data points in breast milk research. The 
efforts and practices have enabled Yili's Jinlingguan series to match the 
nutritional needs of Chinese babies.

From digital transformation to building a "Global Health Ecosystem", Yili has 
incorporated the spirit of innovation into its DNA. Ranking among the top five 
players in the global dairy industry, Yili will continue to adhere to its 
commitment to the health of global customers and share the benefits of health 
with the entire world.

Source: Yili Group

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   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=389610

   Caption: Panel discussion at BFA sub-forum, themed “Technological Advances 
and the Construction of Global Health Ecosystem”

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=389615

   Caption: Zhang Jianqiu shared Yili’s innovation experience in the health 
food industry