Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 7, Located in Wageningen, the Netherlands, the Yili Innovation Center Europe has played a key role in promoting scientific cooperation between China and Europe in the dairy industry. Established in 2014 by China's Yili Group, one of the country's major dairy producers, the center leverages Wageningen’s reputation as a global hub for agricultural and life sciences research.

This file photo taken on April 19, 2024 shows Carolien Van Loo (1st L), head of the Yili Innovation Center Europe, and Ignatius Man-Yau Szeto (2nd L), assistant president of Yili Group, working at the Yili Innovation Center Europe in Wageningen, the Netherlands.

Carolien Van Loo, head of the innovation center, highlighted in a recent interview with Xinhua the value of collaborating with European research institutions and startups. She described Wageningen as a research-rich environment with a strong culture of open cooperation, making it a strategic location for advancing food science.

Van Loo joined the center in 2015 as a senior nutrition scientist. Her work focuses on the impact of nutrients on human health, with emphasis on cognitive development and immune system response. She has led multiple research projects on human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), lactoferrin, probiotics, and the variability of breast milk composition. Several of these findings have been applied to Yili’s infant formula product line.

Looking ahead, Van Loo expressed confidence in the role of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in accelerating innovation. She noted the ability of AI to shorten development timelines and improve efficiency in creating new dairy products.

Ignatius Man-Yau Szeto, assistant president of Yili Group, noted that Yili has developed a global innovation network that spans Asia, Europe, and Oceania. He emphasized the company's long-term investment in research areas such as dairy processing, food safety, nutrition, and breast milk science.

"Innovation is the engine of progress in the dairy industry," said Szeto. He explained that Yili’s strategy is guided by consumer needs and international collaboration, positioning Europe as an essential part of its global operations. "Europe is a leader in dairy, with advanced systems and strong market maturity," he said. He also pointed out that Wageningen University, part of the Netherlands’ Food Valley, provides access to high-level research and technology.

Over the past 11 years, the Yili Innovation Center Europe has contributed to advancements in various fields, including breast milk research, probiotics, cheese innovation, sugar reduction, and AI-driven food development. Many of these innovations have already been incorporated into Yili’s consumer products such as infant formula, yogurt, and cheese.

The center continues to serve as a platform for research exchange and product innovation, aligning with Yili Group’s goal of promoting scientific development and delivering quality dairy products to global markets.