Yili Innovation Center: Bridging China and Europe in Dairy Research

In the core of Europe's agricultural and food science hub lies the Yili Innovation Center Europe, a crucial bridge for scientific collaboration in the dairy sector between China and Europe. Established in 2014 by China's Yili Group, the center is situated in Wageningen, a town renowned for its excellence in life sciences.

Carolien Van Loo, head of the innovation center, highlighted the strengthening of partnerships with European research institutions and startups. With its rich research ecosystem, Wageningen offers an ideal environment for advancing food science. Van Loo's work focuses on nutrition's impact on health, with particular interest in cognitive function and immune response improvements.

Her projects have addressed human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), probiotics, and lactoferrin, contributing to Yili's infant formula products. She is optimistic about AI and digital tools in food innovation, which can hasten product development cycles.

Ignatius Man-Yau Szeto, assistant president of Yili Group, emphasized the global innovation network Yili has built over the years, incorporating deep investments in nutrition, breast milk research, dairy processing, and food safety. He noted Europe as a leader in dairy due to its advanced systems and market maturity.

Over 11 years, the Yili Innovation Center Europe has achieved advancements in breast milk analysis, probiotics, sugar reduction, and AI-driven product development, impacting Yili's product lines, including infant formula, yogurt, and cheese.