HOHHOT, China, Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2026 World Dairy Congress officially commenced on August 1 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Hosted by Yili Group, the Congress centered around the theme of Technology-driven, Partnership Oriented, Co-building a Sustainable Global Dairy Ecosystem. The prestigious event gathered leaders from international industry associations, distinguished academicians, and top executives from across the global dairy value chain.
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Hohhot Officially Crowned World Dairy Capital
During the opening ceremony, the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) officially presented Hohhot with the World Dairy Capital plaque and a commemorative award.
In her address, Dr. Pavinee Chinachoti, Executive President of IUFoST, emphasized that this title recognizes the city's persistent efforts in advancing the dairy industry. She added that this honor also aims to inspire pioneering enterprises like Yili Group to elevate the global health food sector and accelerate a future grounded in technological leadership and shared success.
Fostering Shared Value and Mutual Harmony
At the event, Pan Gang, Chairman and President of Yili Group, delivered a keynote speech titled Shared Value, Mutual Harmony, Building a New Global Dairy Ecosystem.
Addressing global challenges - ranging from rapid technological iteration and supply chain restructuring to climate change and evolving consumer demands - Pan Gang outlined Yili's strategic vision. He emphasized that the mission of a glass of milk is not just nourishing life but achieving World Integrally Sharing Health. Amidst industry transformations, he delivered China's answer to the global dairy industry by calling on all partners to join hands and forge a new path of shared value and mutual harmony.
Pan Gang noted that true innovation is never an island but an entire continent, highlighting how Yili pools global dairy wisdom to weave a strong innovation network. Regarding digital transformation, he described digital intelligence not as a solo act, but as a whole-chain symphony. To this end, Yili is currently driving vertical and horizontal integration to build a full-chain digital-intelligent ecosystem. He concluded by inviting global partners to embark on a journey of shared value in the spirit of mutual harmony, contributing the strength of the dairy industry to strengthen the foundation of human health and advance global well-being.
Unveiling Breakthrough Innovations
The opening ceremony also marked the official launch of the China (Global) Dairy Data Intelligent Hub and the Global Dairy High-Quality Datasets Factory.
Furthermore, the China National Technology Innovation Center for Dairy (NTICD) unveiled its Top 10 Innovation Achievements of 2026. These cover critical areas including dairy cow breeding, feed reduction and substitution technologies, probiotic strains for human milk research, large-scale production of lactoferrin, intelligent end-to-end inspection systems, and high-quality packaging recycling. These advanced technologies demonstrate a firm commitment to driving the high-quality and sustainable development of the global dairy industry.
Source: Yili Group
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