SINGAPORE, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From April 22 to 23, the 9th Global Dairy Innovation Congress (GDIC) Asia 2026 took place in Singapore. Dr. Ignatius Szeto, Vice President of Yili Group, Asia’s No.1 dairy company, was invited to attend the event and deliver a keynote presentation. During the event, he systematically shared forward-looking insights and innovative practices focusing on key issues such as demographic shifts and the evolution of consumer demands.
The 9th GDIC Asia Awards 2026
During the congress, the "Trailblazer of Dairy Product Innovation Award" was officially unveiled. Yili’s core product lines, including Yili Xinhuo, Yili Qingmu, and Yili Health Science Changshi, swept nine major awards, showcasing the company’s breakthrough achievements in precision nutrition and functional innovation.
As the world’s most populous and dynamically growing region, Asia is rapidly transitioning into an aging society. The dairy industry, a vital pillar of the broader health sector, plays an increasingly critical role in meeting the nutritional requirements of the elderly. At the main forum on April 22, Dr. Ignatius Szeto delivered a keynote presentation titled "Population-Based Nutrition-Driven Dairy Innovation and Its Application in Healthy Aging," systematically outlining the scientific approach to developing age-friendly dairy products for seniors. He explained that to meet these core demographic demands, Yili had established a three-pillar product system encompassing basic nutritional support, targeted nutritional fortification, and scenario-based functional supplementation. This personalized, senior-friendly dairy product matrix precisely addresses the diverse health needs of middle-aged and elderly consumers.
Yili Scoops Multiple Awards
At a sub-forum, Yili unveiled its latest achievements in probiotic technological innovation and industrial application. Dr. Szeto stated, "Probiotic strains are the ‘core chip’ of food science, and in-house R&D capabilities in this area directly determine a dairy company’s fundamental competitiveness. Driven by independent innovation, Yili integrates global scientific research resources to build a full-value chain innovation system — from strain screening and functional validation to industrial commercialization. We have independently developed several star strains, continuously spearheading technological upgrades within the industry."
In a roundtable discussion on further expanding the Asian dairy market, Dr. Szeto engaged in in-depth dialogues with regional industry representatives to explore growth trajectories and opportunities for industrial synergy. To date, Yili has established production bases across countries including China, Indonesia, and Thailand. Retaining its position as Asia’s top dairy company for 12 consecutive years, Yili is also the only Asian enterprise currently ranked among the global top five dairy companies, continuing to drive the high-quality development of the region’s dairy sector.
Guided by the development philosophy of "No innovation, no future" proposed by Pan Gang, Chairman and President of Yili Group, the company has established 15 innovation centers worldwide. Furthermore, Yili has spearheaded the development of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy in China, forging a robust and comprehensive global collaborative innovation network.
