Mengniu prepares for GLP-1 food era with functional dairy products
GLP-1 drugs in the Asia Pacific region are still very much focused on their original role of diabetes management, but recognition of its wider weight management and other benefits are rapidly gaining traction, with many companies are preparing for this eventuality, especially in China and India where generic GLP-1 drugs are being produced.
China dairy giant Mengniu is one of these firms, recently moving to thrust its patented probiotic strain LC19 into the limelight by launching an entire documentary on this ingredient, highlighting its role in naturally aiding the added stimulation of GLP-1 secretion in the body.
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.
“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.
China’s cultivated meat push faces consumer reality
China may have shown they are willing to switch to solar power or electric vehicles when a cheaper alternative comes along, but the motivations to keep eating meat could be much trickier to shift.
Like many of its fallen predecessors, it seems China’s greatest challenge may not be producing cheaper proteins but overcoming the personal, cultural, historical factors that keep people tied to the foods they know and love.
From trend-chasing to execution: 5 lessons for the food industry
Food innovation is moving beyond trend-chasing, with recent developments showing how brands are turning consumer shifts into viable products and strategies.
One such example is alternative protein development in China. The Republic is positioning alternative proteins within a much broader future-food strategy spanning food security, nutrition, sustainability and changing consumer needs.
According to Jiangnan University’s Prof Li Zhaofeng, the country’s future food system will need to look beyond conventional agricultural sources as it seeks to strengthen food security.
The food power list: 25 people shaping what the world eats
From global CEOs and regulators to scientists and disruptors, these are the people behind the products we buy, the ingredients we grow and the food systems we depend on.
China’s Zhong Shanshan, founder and chairman of Nongfu Spring, is featured here. The company’s success demonstrates the strength of domestic beverage champions in huge consumer markets, particularly in categories linked to health and premiumisation. Zhong’s influence also reflects the growing importance of Chinese consumer behaviour to the global food and drink industry.
