Asia's Top Dairy Producer Yili Sweeps Awards at GDIC Asia 2026
Singapore, (ANTARA/PRNewswire) – The ninth Global Dairy Innovation Congress Asia (GDIC) 2026 took place in Singapore on 22–23 April. Dr. Ignatius Szeto, Vice President of Yili Group—Asia’s leader in the dairy processing industry—was invited as one of the speakers. On this occasion, he shared insights and innovative practices related to demographic changes and the dynamics of consumer needs.
At the event, the “Trailblazer of Dairy Product Innovation Award” was officially introduced. Yili’s main product lines—including Yili Xinhuo, Yili Qingmu, and Yili Health Science Changshi—swept nine major awards, proving Yili’s breakthroughs in precision nutrition and functional innovation.
As the region with the world’s largest population, the number of elderly people in Asia is steadily increasing, making the dairy industry’s role even more crucial in meeting the nutritional needs of the elderly. In the main forum on 22 April, Dr. Ignatius Szeto delivered a presentation titled “Population-Based Nutrition-Driven Dairy Innovation and Its Application in Healthy Aging” on the scientific approach to developing elderly-friendly dairy products. According to him, to address the needs of the elderly, Yili has built a product system based on three pillars: basic nutritional support, targeted nutrient fortification, and functional supplementation tailored to elderly needs. This approach has resulted in a portfolio of dairy products specifically designed for the elderly.
In the subforum, Yili also showcased its latest achievements in probiotic technology innovation and its applications. Szeto stated, “Probiotic strains are the ‘key element’ in food science, and internal research and development capabilities in this field greatly determine competitiveness. Through independent innovation, Yili integrates global research resources to build a comprehensive innovation system—from strain screening, function validation, to industrial commercialisation. We have independently developed a number of elite strains and continue to promote technological advancements in the industry.”
In the panel discussion session on the expansion of the Asian dairy market, Szeto engaged in dialogue with regional industry players to explore growth directions and industry synergy opportunities. To date, Yili has established production bases in several countries, including China, Indonesia, and Thailand. For 12 consecutive years, it has maintained its position as Asia’s number one dairy producer and is the only Asian company listed among the world’s top five dairy producers. Furthermore, Yili continues to drive the development of high-quality regional dairy industries.
Based on the philosophy of “No innovation, no future” championed by Pan Gang, Chairman & President of Yili Group, Yili has established 15 innovation centres worldwide. In addition, Yili leads the development of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy in China, as well as building a strong and integrated global collaborative innovation network.