Yili Group opens “world’s largest” dairy facility in China

Yili Group has opened a dairy facility in Hohhot, China, which will be used as a production base for liquid milk, infant formula and cheese.

The company says it aims to build a “Dairy Silicon Valley” that will be the “world’s largest” site of its kind, and will serve as a global hub for the dairy and health industries.

Located at the Global Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park, the facility will produce liquid and powder milk. It will also house the Chilechuan Ecological Intelligent Pasture and a manufacturing experience centre.

The liquid milk production base received a total investment of RMB 5 billion (approx. $741 million) and will process 6,500 tonnes of fresh milk per day. Meanwhile, Yili invested RMB 3 billion (approx. $445 million) into its milk powder production base, which will have an annual production capacity of 60,000 tonnes, feeding 1.28 million infants per year.

“Exploring the development of dairy industrial clusters, the program is expected to boost regional economic growth and accelerate the growth of global health industries,” a Yili spokesperson said. 

The new site is expected to create jobs for more than 350,000 people.