Inside Yili’s push to reinvent dairy with technology
After claiming the title of the ‘World Dairy Capital’ for its home ground in the city of Hohhot, Yili is now pushing to live up to this title via comprehensive dairy digitalisation
Keen to live up to its dairy leadership position, Yili has not been shy about sharing the technologies it is utilising in order to shift the dairy sector forward.
“Many people today still see dairy farms as only having grass, cattle and cattle herders — but in the Yili Modern Smart Health Valley, all our cows have digital identities that help us to deliver personalised nutrition for each of them,” a Yili spokesman said.
“Every cow has a proprietary digital archive that records data on their growth, health and milk production in real time so the nutritious meals can be prepared for them at a ‘Central Kitchen’ according to their needs, showcasing how technology has changed farming to be not only efficient but also scientific.”
54% of Big Food say climate resilience is critical. Just 6% have a plan
Big Food talks a good game on climate investment but the reality differs
As crops are destroyed by natural disasters, supply chains are disrupted and raw material prices spike, the time to invest in climate resilience is now.
But despite the urgency, a new report from Lumina Intelligence finds while that 54% of food and beverage leaders say climate resilience is important or very important, a mere 6% have fully embedded it into corporate strategy.
China’s cultivated meat push faces consumer reality
China is backing cultivated meat to strengthen food security, but high costs, weak investment and consumer habits could stall its global ambitions
“One cannot overstate the significance of Asia’s largest economy putting cultivated meat and other novel ingredients at the centre of its national food strategy,” says Mirte Gosker, CEO of the Good Food Institute APAC, an alternative protein think tank.
Is China therefore set to transform the alternative protein market not just domestically, but around the world?
Are consumers really asking AI what snacks to eat?
From protein targets to dietary restrictions, shoppers can now describe what they need and get a shortlist of snacks in return but the effect on sales is still unclear
“Snacks are playing a bigger and more personal role in consumers’ lives, whether someone wants a boost of protein, lasting energy, or a moment of comforting indulgence,” says Bob Nolan, Conagra’s senior VP of growth science.
Conagra’s public findings, however, don’t say how many people asked AI about snacks, how often they did so or whether a recommendation led to a purchase.
What Mars’ latest food-tech cohort says about the future of food
Mars’ food-tech ventures suggest big food is headed towards technologies rooted in food production rather than finished products
Rather than banking on the next consumer-facing food brand or trend, this year’s Mars-Unreasonable cohort is focused on technologies that could reshape how food is formulated, produced, tested and packaged.
