Yili

Yili Group, formally Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Company Limited, is a Chinese dairy producer headquartered in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Its origins are traced to the Cattle Breeding Team of Hohhot Huimin District, established in 1956, which became the Cooperative Dairy Farm of Hohhot Huimin District in 1958. The enterprise later developed into one of China’s leading dairy groups and became a major listed food and beverage company. The company’s business covers the processing and manufacture of a broad range of dairy products. Its portfolio includes sterilized and fresh milk under the Yili brand, organic milk under Satine, powdered milk under Pro-Kido, ice cream under Joyday, and milk tea powder. The wider Yili brand family serves both mass-market and higher-value segments, allowing the group to operate across everyday household consumption, nutrition products, chilled and ambient dairy, and frozen desserts. Existing flagship products associated with the group include Yili Pure Milk and Satine organic milk. Yili formally established the group and began production on its first Tetra Pak milk line in February 1997. The move into packaged sterilized milk helped position the company for expansion in China’s rapidly developing modern retail and packaged-food markets. Over time, Yili built a national dairy business and expanded its attention to international sourcing, production, and cooperation. Its 2019 agreement to acquire all equity in New Zealand dairy cooperative Westland Milk Products was a significant step in strengthening its international dairy platform; Westland shareholders ratified the transaction in July of that year. Yili has also used major sporting events to build brand visibility and associate its products with national representation and large-scale public occasions. It served as an official sponsor and exclusive dairy-products supplier for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics, and the 2022 Asian Games. The company’s international profile has been reflected in external food-brand rankings: it was described as the world’s third best-performing food brand in 2018 and ranked first in FBIF’s Top 100 Chinese Food & Beverage Companies list in 2021. The company’s history also includes a major food-safety crisis. In 2008, Yili products were among those affected by the Chinese milk scandal involving melamine contamination in milk, infant milk powder, and other dairy products. The wider scandal caused severe health consequences for infants in China and nearby markets and became a defining event for China’s dairy industry. Food safety, supply-chain controls, and consumer trust therefore form an important part of the context in which Yili operates. Yili remains headquartered in Hohhot and is listed as an A-share company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Its business combines a large domestic dairy presence with international activity and a multi-brand portfolio spanning liquid milk, milk powder, frozen products, and other dairy categories. In December 2023, the group was reported to have established an internal militia unit reporting to the People’s Liberation Army, adding a notable governance and organizational development to its recent history. Yili is the consumer-facing identity of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, one of China’s largest dairy producers. The business is headquartered in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, a region with a long association with cattle raising and milk processing. Its activities span the dairy value chain, including sourcing, processing, research and development, manufacturing, distribution and brand marketing. Core categories include ambient and chilled liquid milk, yogurt, infant and adult milk powder, ice cream, cheese and other dairy-based nutrition products. The company traces its institutional origins to a dairy cooperative established in Hohhot in 1956. It was reorganized into a joint-stock enterprise in 1993 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996. During the late 1990s and 2000s, Yili expanded from a regional processor into a national consumer brand, building a portfolio that included Yili Pure Milk, Satine, Ambrosial and other category-specific lines. Sponsorship and association with major sporting events, especially the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and later Olympic-related activities, helped connect the brand with ideas of health, vitality and national representation. Yili’s commercial model combines mass-market dairy staples with higher-value products. Liquid milk remains central to the business, while yogurt, premium milk, infant formula, cheese and ice cream provide additional growth platforms. The group has used product upgrades, packaging redesigns, new nutritional propositions and digital engagement to respond to changing Chinese consumption patterns. Its brands address a broad range of consumers, from families buying everyday milk to consumers seeking premium, functional or specialized nutrition products. The group has also pursued internationalization through overseas production, research and commercial assets. Notable transactions and partnerships have expanded its presence in New Zealand and Thailand, while the acquisition of Ausnutria strengthened its position in infant formula and goat-milk powder. Yili’s international footprint supports both local-market activity and the sourcing, research and manufacturing capabilities behind products sold in China and abroad. Yili is publicly traded under ticker 600887 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Available reference material describes it as a leading Chinese dairy company with global ambitions, but this dossier does not state current revenue, market capitalization or other financial figures unless accompanied by a directly usable source and period. Its principal competitive context includes Mengniu Dairy, Junlebao and other Chinese and international dairy companies. The brand remains active and is positioned around dairy nutrition, quality, health and increasingly premium and science-oriented consumption. Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., commonly known as Yili, is one of China’s largest dairy companies. Headquartered in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, the group manufactures and markets liquid milk, yogurt, milk powder, infant formula, ice cream, cheese, plant-based and other nutrition-related products. Its portfolio is sold through supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce, food-service channels and specialized nutrition distribution networks. Yili’s corporate history is associated with the development of Hohhot’s dairy industry. The business traces its roots to a locally established dairy operation formed in the mid-twentieth century and adopted its present corporate structure in the early 1990s. It became a listed company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996, providing capital for expansion, processing capacity and national distribution. Over time, Yili moved from a regional dairy producer toward a diversified, nationwide consumer-goods group. The company’s growth has been driven by large-scale investments in dairy farms and milk procurement, cold-chain logistics, processing plants, product research, brand building and retail distribution. Core consumer brands include Yili Pure Milk, Anmuxi Greek-style yogurt, Shuhua lactose-free milk, Jinlingguan infant formula, Changqing probiotic products and a range of ice-cream brands. The company also operates through multiple product and nutrition platforms rather than relying on a single dairy category. Yili has expanded internationally through overseas research, sourcing, manufacturing and business investments. Its international activities have included cooperation and assets connected with infant nutrition, milk powder and dairy research, including operations in New Zealand and other markets. The group presents food safety, quality control, nutrition science, sustainability and supply-chain integration as central parts of its corporate strategy. The company has been a prominent sponsor of major sporting and Olympic-related marketing, including around the Beijing Olympic period, using such partnerships to connect its dairy portfolio with health, nutrition and athletic performance. Within this portfolio, Yili Ice (伊利冷饮) refers to the cold-dessert and ice-cream offering. The official Yili website lists “冷饮” (cold drinks/frozen treats) alongside cheese, liquid milk, milk powder, and yogurt in its brand product categories. The evidence identifies it as a product category associated with Yili, rather than a separately incorporated company, and does not establish a distinct founding date, founder, or independent corporate structure. Its commercial context is the larger Yili business, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., a major Chinese dairy company. Yili describes itself as a large-scale dairy enterprise with a broad product range and presents its wider portfolio as serving consumers in China and international markets. The group’s website says that products across the group are available in more than 80 countries and regions; that statement concerns Yili products overall and does not specify the distribution footprint of Yili Ice individually. The supplied material does not identify particular Yili Ice products, flavours, sub-brands, campaigns, or dedicated sales channels. Accordingly, the offering can be characterized at the category level as ice cream and other frozen or chilled dessert products, without attributing specific product names or market claims to it. Yili’s stated corporate emphasis on product quality, innovation, and consumer health-food offerings provides the parent-company context, but should not be treated as a distinct positioning statement for Yili Ice. The company has been a prominent sponsor of major sporting and public events, including Olympic-related marketing in China. Such activities have helped position Yili as a nationally recognized household brand and have supported its competition with Mengniu and other domestic and international dairy companies. Yili is publicly traded and remains an active Chinese consumer-staples enterprise. Exact current revenue, employee, market-share and international-sales figures are not included here because they require verification against a dated company filing. Yili Ice refers to the cold-dessert and ice-cream offering within Yili Group’s broad dairy and food portfolio. The official Yili website lists “冷饮” (cold drinks/frozen treats) alongside cheese, liquid milk, milk powder, and yogurt in its brand product categories. The evidence identifies it as a product category associated with Yili, rather than a separately incorporated company, and does not establish a distinct founding date, founder, or independent corporate structure.

Yili's history is inseparable from the development of Inner Mongolia's dairy industry and the growth of its parent, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. The supplied reference material places the group's early institutional roots in a dairy cooperative in Hohhot in 1956, although the date is not sufficiently documented here to treat it as a definitive founding year for the Yili brand. The brand's later corporate history is clearer: the group underwent joint-stock restructuring in 1993 and became listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996 under ticker 600887. During the 1990s, Yili moved from a regional producer toward national scale. It developed processing capacity, distribution and a portfolio covering liquid milk and other dairy categories. By the late 1990s, the company was being described as a leading Chinese dairy producer. Expansion continued through investments in production, cold-chain and ambient distribution, product research and brand architecture. Rather than relying on one product, Yili built a multi-category platform encompassing everyday milk, yogurt, frozen desserts, milk powder and specialised nutrition. Sports sponsorship became a significant part of Yili's identity. The group was associated with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and has been described as an official dairy sponsor of the Chinese sports delegation. Olympic-related communications linked milk with physical health, aspiration and national achievement. In 2008, the company renamed its Classic milk range as Satine for the domestic market and supported the repositioning with advertising featuring hurdler Liu Xiang and family imagery. In 2012, its “Let's Olympic Together” campaign used outdoor advertising, television, online films and digital engagement to tell stories about ordinary people pursuing personal health and life goals. Yili also experimented with participatory digital marketing. A campaign for Fruity Chunk Yogurt on Renren used a music video, a fruit-themed game and social sharing to encourage participation and page following. The supplied case study reported more than 16 million participations and over 420,000 page fans, though those figures are campaign-reported rather than independently audited in the material provided. Later campaigns adapted to short-video and influencer ecosystems. During the pandemic period, Yili promoted a smart vending machine that combined a wearable device with an internet-connected retail unit to recommend dairy drinks. The activation was launched at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen and later piloted in a Beijing supermarket. From the 2010s onward, the parent group pursued international supply, manufacturing and brand assets. It acquired a stake in Thailand's Chomthana in 2018, acquired New Zealand's Westland Milk Products in 2019, and built or expanded overseas production and research capabilities. In 2021, Yili took a major stake in Ausnutria Dairy, becoming its largest shareholder and strengthening its access to goat-milk formula and nutrition products. Other international initiatives included dairy manufacturing in Indonesia and investment in New Zealand butter and lactoferrin capabilities. The brand's recent communications have combined established Olympic associations with fast-moving internet culture. During the Paris 2024 Games, Yili used a viral comparison between the Olympic logo and television host Lu Yu, appointing her as an ambassador for Games watching. The campaign reportedly generated substantial social discussion, while later commentary assessed Yili's meme-led approach in comparison with rival Mengniu's Olympic activity. Yili has also used comedy-led short-form advertising, including an advertisement featuring comedian Zhang Xingchao that connected absurdist humour with workplace frustrations. Today, Yili operates as the master consumer identity of a large publicly listed dairy group. Its business spans China's mass and premium dairy markets and reaches overseas through manufacturing, research, acquisitions and exports. The available material does not provide a reliable standalone date for the Yili brand's founding, a complete executive history or an official current website, so those fields remain open rather than being inferred from the parent company's chronology. Yili’s roots lie in a Hohhot dairy cooperative founded in 1956. Its development reflects the modernization of China’s dairy industry and the emergence of nationally distributed packaged milk. In 1993, the enterprise was reorganized as a joint-stock company, creating the corporate structure associated with the modern Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. It subsequently listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996 under 600887. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Yili moved beyond its regional base by expanding processing capacity, distribution and branded product lines. The company developed a broad portfolio covering liquid milk, yogurt, ice cream and milk powder. This multi-category approach enabled it to serve everyday household demand while also entering premium and specialized segments. Brands such as Yili Pure Milk and Satine became associated with packaged milk, while Ambrosial helped establish a prominent yogurt proposition and Jinlingguan supported the infant-formula business. Sporting sponsorship became an important part of Yili’s brand-building. The company was associated with the Chinese sports delegation and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, using the event to connect dairy consumption with health, athletic performance and national pride. Its marketing during this period included Olympic packaging, athlete-linked advertising and campaigns focused on ordinary people pursuing their own versions of sporting achievement. The group continued to use packaging, product innovation and event marketing as competitive tools. In 2010, it promoted an Expo-themed redesign for its Large Fruit Granules yogurt around the Shanghai World Expo. In 2012, the Let’s Olympic Together campaign used outdoor advertising, television, microfilms and digital participation to tell stories about ordinary Chinese people living active and aspirational lives. Yili also placed related advertising on London buses during the period surrounding the London Olympics, even though the campaign was primarily aimed at Chinese consumers. International expansion became more prominent in the late 2010s. Yili acquired a controlling interest in Thailand’s Chomthana in 2018, acquired New Zealand’s Westland Milk Products in 2019, and moved to acquire Ausnutria through a tender-offer process beginning in 2021. The Ausnutria transaction, completed in 2022, broadened Yili’s infant-formula and goat-milk-powder capabilities. These moves complemented domestic sourcing and manufacturing relationships and helped the group develop a more international research, production and supply network. Yili has also sought to finance capacity and portfolio development. In 2021, it completed a large private placement whose stated uses included expanding production for higher-value products, strengthening working capital and digitalizing operations. The company has described premiumization, nutrition, cheese, milk powder and overseas capabilities as routes to additional growth beyond its mature liquid-milk base. In its more recent communications and marketing, Yili has combined health-oriented product education with short-video, meme and technology-led engagement. Campaigns involving smart watches and connected vending attempted to simplify product choice through personalization, while later Olympic-related work used topical internet culture. Yili therefore operates both as a mass dairy supplier and as a portfolio brand house seeking higher-value, science-oriented and internationally connected growth. It remains an active Shanghai-listed Chinese dairy group, although specific current ownership, executive and financial details require verification from corporate filings or an official company source. Yili’s roots lie in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, a region with a long association with livestock and dairy production. The enterprise developed from a locally organized dairy operation established during the planned-economy period. Its early business was regional and focused on the processing and distribution of milk and related dairy products. The company’s later development reflected the broader reform of Chinese state and collective enterprises and the rapid growth of branded packaged food in China. The present corporate entity was established in 1993. During the 1990s, Yili strengthened its industrial organization, expanded production and built a broader sales network. Its listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996 marked an important turning point: public-market access gave the company additional means to invest in facilities, technology, procurement and national distribution. Yili subsequently became one of the leading participants in China’s increasingly competitive dairy market. In the following decades, the group expanded beyond conventional pasteurized and ultra-high-temperature milk. Yogurt became an important growth category, while milk powder, infant formula, ice cream, functional milk and nutrition products broadened the company’s exposure to different consumer occasions. Brands such as Anmuxi, Shuhua and Jinlingguan were developed or scaled to address premium yogurt, lactose-free milk and infant-nutrition demand. The group’s operating model combined brand investment with large-scale processing and a network connecting farms, suppliers, factories, distributors and retailers. Yili also pursued internationalization. Its overseas approach has involved research collaboration, international sourcing, production assets and investments associated with dairy and infant nutrition. New Zealand has been particularly relevant to its international dairy and milk-powder activities. Rather than treating international operations solely as export channels, the company has used them to obtain technical capabilities, supply-chain access and product-development resources. Brand communication has been another major part of Yili’s history. The company has used national advertising, sports partnerships and Olympic-related sponsorship to build recognition beyond Inner Mongolia. These initiatives helped turn Yili into a household name and reinforced its positioning around nutrition, health and everyday family consumption. At the same time, the group has invested in food-safety systems, laboratory testing, traceability and quality management, issues that are especially important in the Chinese dairy sector. Today, Yili operates as a diversified publicly listed dairy group. Its business spans liquid milk, fermented dairy, milk powder, infant nutrition, ice cream, cheese and functional or nutrition-oriented products. It competes most directly with Mengniu and also faces pressure from international dairy companies, specialist infant-formula producers, yogurt brands and emerging nutrition businesses. Its continuing strategic themes are premiumization, category diversification, technology and research, supply-chain control, digital retail and selective international growth. Specific current financial and operational measures should be taken from the relevant annual report because they change by reporting period. Within this corporate history, Yili Ice (伊利冷饮) is documented not as a stand-alone company but as part of the product portfolio of Yili Group. Yili’s official homepage lists “冷饮” among its consumer product categories, together with cheese, liquid milk, milk powder, and yogurt. This supports identifying Yili Ice with the group’s ice-cream and frozen-dessert activity, but the supplied material does not provide a separate launch date, founding story, or account of how the category developed. Yili Group supplies the corporate context for the brand. Its official site describes the group as a major Chinese dairy enterprise with a broad product range and presents quality, research and development, and innovation as central company themes. The company also describes an international network of partners and says that products across the group are sold in more than 80 countries and regions. Those international statements concern Yili as a whole; they do not establish that Yili Ice products are sold in each of those markets. The evidence does not name specific Yili Ice products, sub-brands, recipes, manufacturing sites, or dedicated marketing campaigns. It also does not provide a separate executive team, ownership arrangement, or listing for Yili Ice. The most supportable history is therefore limited: Yili Ice is an active consumer product category shown in the official Yili portfolio, operating within the wider Yili Group business. Further product-level milestones would require dedicated sources.

• 2024

  Paris Olympics meme campaign

  [5]Yili and the Paris Olympics meme campaigndaoinsights.com

  Yili appointed Lu Yu as a Paris Games-watching ambassador and used a viral logo-resemblance meme to gain attention.

• 2022

  Ausnutria acquisition completed

  [11]Yili: acquisition of Ausnutria analysisshs-conferences.org

  The acquisition of Ausnutria expanded Yili’s infant-formula and goat-milk-powder capabilities.

• 2021

  Ausnutria investment

  [6]Yili investment in Ausnutria Dairyprnewswire.com

  Yili became the largest shareholder of Ausnutria Dairy, supporting expansion in goat-milk formula and nutrition products.

• 2021

  Private placement completed

  [22]Private placement completeddairyreporter.com

  Yili completed a non-public share offering to fund capacity, higher-value products and digitalization.

• 2019

  Acquisition of Westland Milk Products

  [12]Yili Group investments and acquisitionscbinsights.com

  Yili acquired New Zealand dairy producer Westland Milk Products, strengthening its international supply and production network.

• 2019

  International dairy investment expansion

  [13]Yili Group official websiteyili.com

  Yili continued developing overseas dairy and nutrition capabilities, including activities connected with New Zealand.

• 2018

  Investment in Chomthana

  [21]Investment in Chomthanatracxn.com

  Yili expanded its Southeast Asian ice-cream and dairy platform through an investment in Thailand’s Chomthana.

• 2013

  Anmuxi brand development

  [13]Yili Group official websiteyili.com

  Yili expanded its premium yogurt presence through the Anmuxi brand.

• 2010

  Shanghai World Expo yogurt packaging program

  [10]Case study: Yili China boosts sales with redesigned yogurt packaging during Expocampaignasia.com

  The company introduced Expo-related packaging for its Large Fruit Granules yogurt range.

• 2008

  Beijing Olympics sponsorship

  [4]Yili rebrands Classic milk as Satinecampaignasia.com

  Yili's Olympic association increased national visibility and connected the brand with sport, health and aspiration.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A broad Chinese dairy master brand combining everyday nutritional products with premium, functional and specialised dairy offerings; its communications frequently connect dairy consumption with health, family, sport and national identity. A mass-market and premiumizing Chinese dairy house combining nationwide distribution with differentiated nutrition, yogurt, infant-formula, functional-milk and frozen-dairy brands. Within this portfolio, Yili Ice is a consumer-facing frozen-dessert category; no distinct positioning statement for Yili Ice is established by the supplied evidence. A consumer-facing frozen-dessert category within Yili Group’s broader dairy and food portfolio. No distinct positioning statement for Yili Ice is established by the supplied evidence.

• Liquid milk

  Yili Pure Milk

  A core everyday milk line associated with Yili’s mass-market dairy business. It represents the company’s traditional strength in packaged liquid milk for household consumption and broad retail distribution. Yili’s mainstream liquid-milk platform includes everyday drinking milk sold through supermarkets, convenience stores and online channels. The range represents the company’s mass-market dairy base and is associated with standardized processing, packaged convenience and broad household distribution.

• Premium liquid milk · 2008

  Satine

  Yili's premium milk range. It emerged from the rebranding of the company's Classic milk range for the domestic market and has been supported by quality-oriented packaging and communications linking premium milk with family care, achievement and sporting performance. Yili’s premium milk brand, developed through a rebranding exercise before the 2008 Olympic Games. Its communications emphasized quality, family support and athletic achievement, differentiating it from rival premium offerings.

• Yogurt and dairy beverages

  Ambrosial

  A major Yili yogurt brand positioned within the company's chilled and ambient yogurt portfolio. It helps Yili compete in more premium and value-added yogurt segments alongside its broader dairy offering. A major yogurt and dairy-beverage brand in Yili’s portfolio. It participates in the company’s move toward higher-value, flavored and convenient dairy products rather than relying solely on traditional white milk.

• Fruit yogurt

  Fruity Chunk Yogurt

  A fruit-oriented yogurt product promoted through cartoon characters, a viral music video and a participatory Renren social campaign. The activation sought to differentiate the product in a crowded yogurt market through playful creative assets and user sharing. A yogurt range promoted through special Shanghai World Expo packaging. Its fruit-oriented positioning and limited-edition visual design were used to refresh the product and create a stronger connection with consumers at retail.

• Ice cream and frozen dairy

  Yili ice cream

  Yili's frozen-dessert portfolio, sold in China and supported by international manufacturing and investment activity. The category broadens the brand beyond staple milk and yogurt into impulse and snack consumption. Yili’s ice-cream activity forms part of its broader dairy portfolio and is supported by domestic operations and international assets, including the group’s investment in Thailand’s Chomthana. Yili’s frozen-dessert business includes packaged ice cream and related frozen dairy products distributed through retail and cold-chain channels. It gives the group exposure to impulse purchasing, seasonal consumption and a category with different merchandising economics from ambient milk.

• Nutrition

  Milk powder and nutrition products

  A group of products covering milk powder, infant and toddler nutrition, goat-milk formula and related specialised offerings. Yili's investment in Ausnutria was intended in part to strengthen this area and extend its capabilities in goat-milk formula.

• Infant formula and infant nutrition

  Jinlingguan

  Yili’s infant-formula platform. The brand supports the group’s strategy of expanding milk-powder and specialized nutrition categories, including product upgrades designed to respond to changing Chinese standards and consumer expectations. Jinlingguan is Yili’s infant-formula and early-life nutrition platform. The business operates in a highly regulated category where formulation, sourcing, manufacturing controls, traceability and consumer trust are central to brand value.

• Yogurt · 2013

  Anmuxi

  Anmuxi is Yili’s prominent Greek-style and premium yogurt platform. It targets consumers seeking thicker texture, higher perceived quality and more sophisticated flavor or packaging than conventional yogurt. The brand has helped Yili participate in the premiumization of China’s chilled and ambient yogurt market.

• Functional liquid milk

  Shuhua

  Shuhua is positioned around lactose-free or reduced-lactose milk and digestion-related consumer needs. It extends Yili’s liquid-milk business beyond basic nutrition by emphasizing product functionality and accessibility for consumers who experience difficulty digesting ordinary milk.

• Yili Ice / cold-dessert category

  The Yili website lists “冷饮” as one of its consumer product categories. The supplied evidence does not specify individual products.

• 2008

  2008 Chinese milk scandal

  In September 2008, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine announced the results of a special inspection of liquid milk; melamine was detected in some of Yili's products submitted for testing. The incident involved the specific liquid milk batches sampled that year and does not mean melamine was detected in all Yili products.

  Source 1Source 2

• 2005

  Former Chairman Zheng Junhuai Sentenced to 6 Years in First Instance for Misappropriation of Public Funds

  In December 2005, Yili's former chairman and president Zheng Junhuai was sentenced in the first instance to six years in prison for the crime of misappropriating public funds. The court found that he participated in misappropriating 16.5 million yuan and used other companies to purchase Yili shares to seek personal gain; several former executives in the same case were also sentenced.

  Source

Read more

• 2024Paris Games Watching with Lu Yu

  China · France

  Yili responded to online commentary about the resemblance between television presenter Lu Yu and the Paris Olympic emblem by naming Lu Yu an ambassador for its Paris Games-watching activity and releasing humorous short-form content.

  Outcome. A related Weibo topic was reported to have reached 130 million views, and trade commentary described the campaign as a successful example of meme-led Olympic marketing. The activation generated substantial social discussion; the cited report stated that its related Weibo topic reached 130 million views.

  Source
• 2021Drink milk scientifically

  China

  Yili promoted a smart vending machine that used a smart watch and connected-device technology to analyse consumer information and recommend a suitable dairy drink. Influencers demonstrated the system on social platforms and directed consumers to a Beijing retail pilot.

  Outcome. The case study reported more than 343 million social impressions and three million Douyin views.

  Source
• 2021Personalized dairy recommendation vending machine

  China

  Yili partnered with Xiaomi to combine wearable-device information with an internet-connected vending machine. The system assessed consumer-related health indicators and recommended a dairy drink from Yili’s portfolio.

  Outcome. The initiative was designed to reduce choice complexity and position Yili as a science- and personalization-oriented dairy brand.

  Source
• 2012Let's Olympic Together

  Mainland China

  Working with Ogilvy & Mather Beijing and Youku, Yili created outdoor, television, digital and online-film content about ordinary people pursuing their own health and life ambitions. The campaign used the Olympic period to broaden the meaning of sporting achievement beyond elite athletes. Yili worked with Ogilvy & Mather Beijing and Youku on a campaign presenting ordinary people’s personal challenges as expressions of Olympic spirit. It used outdoor advertising, television commercials, online films and digital participation, including stories of active older travelers.

  Outcome. The programme extended Yili's Olympic sponsorship into emotional storytelling and digital video engagement. The campaign sought to associate Yili with healthy lifestyles and broaden Olympic identification beyond professional athletes.

  Source
• 2010Shanghai World Expo special packaging

  China

  For the Shanghai World Expo, Yili and Ogilvy developed special packaging for the Large Fruit Granules yogurt line, using illustrated characters representing different world regions and retail point-of-sale materials.

  Outcome. The cited case study reported a 33.3% increase in sales of the redesigned 390g product within one month, but the figure is campaign-reported rather than independently audited in the supplied material.

  Source
• 2008Satine premium milk rebranding

  China

  Yili renamed its Classic milk range Satine and supported the change with advertising featuring Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang and family imagery. The campaign framed premium milk as supportive of achievement and family care while differentiating the range from rival premium products.

  Outcome. The campaign gave the renamed range a clearer premium identity and connected it to Olympic attention.

  Source
• 2008Satine Olympic rebranding

  China

  Yili renamed its Classic milk range Satine and supported the change with advertising featuring the family of hurdler Liu Xiang, Olympic-themed packaging and a message centered on giving the best to loved ones. The campaign linked premium milk with athletic excellence and family support.

  Outcome. The initiative was intended to distinguish Satine from competing premium milk brands and reinforce Yili’s Olympic association.

  Source
• 2008Beijing Olympic sponsorship

  China

  Yili used sponsorship and related advertising around the Beijing Olympic period to connect its dairy portfolio with health, nutrition and athletic performance. The activity strengthened national brand visibility; a precise attributable sales result is not established here.

  Outcome. The activity strengthened national brand visibility; a precise attributable sales result is not established here.

  Source
• Fruity Chunk Yogurt Renren campaign

  China

  Yili promoted Fruity Chunk Yogurt on Renren through a cartoon-mascot music video, a fruit-themed social game and fan-page promotion. The mechanics encouraged users to participate repeatedly and share activity in their feeds.

  Outcome. The supplied case study reported more than 16 million participations, over 420,000 page fans and billions of impressions generated through sharing.

  Source
• Zhang Xingchao workplace-humour advertisement

  China

  Yili used comedian Zhang Xingchao in a short-form advertisement built around absurdist humour, fast reversals and workplace frustration. The creative was designed to resemble a social video rather than a conventional brand film.

  Outcome. Trade coverage said the advertisement circulated as entertainment and generated audience discussion about the boundary between comedy and promotion.

  Source

• 2021

  Strategic investment in Ausnutria DairyM&A

  Background

  Yili sought to expand its milk-formula and nutrition portfolio, particularly in goat-milk formula and related specialised products.

  Action taken

  Through a subsidiary, Yili agreed to acquire and subscribe for shares representing approximately 34.33% of Ausnutria's issued shares, making Yili its largest shareholder.

  Aftermath

  The transaction strengthened Yili's access to goat-milk formula capabilities and widened its nutrition-product platform.

  Transaction consideration. Approximately HK$6.25 billion (Announced October 2021)

  Source

• 2021

  Private placement to fund expansion and digitalisationStrategy

  Background

  The listed parent described growing working-capital needs and the need to expand capacity, develop higher-value products and digitalise operations.

  Action taken

  Yili completed a non-public offering of shares to institutional and individual investors.

  Aftermath

  The funds were designated for production expansion, product upgrading and digital operations; a brand-level outcome is not separately reported.

  Capital raised. Approximately RMB 12.047 billion (December 2021)

  Source

• 2021

  Tender offer for AusnutriaM&A

  Background

  Yili identified infant formula and goat-milk powder as strategic expansion categories alongside its established liquid-milk business.

  Action taken

  Through a wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary, Yili pursued a tender offer for Ausnutria Dairy.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was completed in 2022 and expanded Yili’s milk-powder capabilities.

  Source

• 2021

  Non-public share offeringOther

  Background

  Yili reported a need to support capacity, higher-value product development, international expansion and working-capital requirements.

  Action taken

  The company issued 317,953,285 shares to investors at RMB 37.89 per share, raising approximately RMB 12.047 billion.

  Aftermath

  The proceeds were designated primarily for production expansion, higher-value dairy varieties and digitalization.

  Private-placement proceeds. RMB 12.047 billion (2021)

  Source

• 2019

  Acquisition of Westland Milk ProductsM&A

  Background

  Yili pursued overseas dairy production and supply capabilities as part of its globalization strategy.

  Action taken

  Yili acquired New Zealand dairy producer Westland Milk Products.

  Aftermath

  Westland became part of Yili’s international dairy platform and supported access to New Zealand production capabilities.

  Source

• 2019

  Further development of overseas dairy capabilitiesM&A

  Background

  Yili sought international sourcing, research and production capabilities for dairy and infant-nutrition businesses.

  Action taken

  The group continued overseas investment and cooperation, including activities associated with New Zealand.

  Aftermath

  International assets and partnerships became part of Yili’s broader supply-chain and nutrition strategy.

  Source

• 2018

  Investment in ChomthanaM&A

  Background

  Yili sought to extend its dairy and frozen-dessert platform beyond China and build an international operating footprint.

  Action taken

  It invested in Thailand-based Chomthana, described in the supplied acquisition references as a 33% stake transaction.

  Aftermath

  The investment added a Southeast Asian asset to Yili’s international portfolio.

  Source

• 2013

  Expansion of the Anmuxi premium yogurt platformProduct launch

  Background

  Chinese consumers were increasingly trading up from basic dairy products toward premium yogurt and differentiated formats.

  Action taken

  Yili developed and expanded Anmuxi as a premium Greek-style yogurt brand.

  Aftermath

  Anmuxi became one of Yili’s best-known growth platforms and increased its presence in premium yogurt.

  Source

• 2008

  Repositioning of Classic milk as SatineStrategy

  Background

  Yili faced competition in China's premium milk segment and used the Olympic period to sharpen the identity of an existing milk range.

  Action taken

  The company renamed Classic milk as Satine and launched a quality- and family-oriented campaign featuring Liu Xiang-related creative.

  Aftermath

  Satine became one of the group's best-known premium milk lines; the supplied sources do not provide a quantified causal sales outcome.

  Source

• 1996

  Public-market listingStrategy

  Background

  Yili needed capital and organizational capacity to move from a regional dairy producer toward a national consumer brand.

  Action taken

  The company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under ticker 600887.

  Aftermath

  The listing supported subsequent investment in production, distribution, technology and brand expansion.

  Source

• 2026

  Yili developed a Lunar New Year campaign around horse-related celebrity names[27]伊利围绕马姓明星打造春节营销socialbeta.com

  Campaign

  Yili used a series of horse-name wordplays and celebrity appearances, culminating in a self-referential advertising film with Ma Dong, to connect milk with the Year of the Horse and the idea of an adaptable companion.

• 2025

  Yili used a 'companion' theme in Lunar New Year marketing with JD.com[28]伊利与京东在春节营销中以“陪伴”为主题socialbeta.com

  Campaign

  Yili and JD.com presented milk as a flexible and dependable New Year companion through a comedy film, shopping incentives and a holiday gifting program featuring Li Xian and Jia Bing.

• 2025

  Yili and JD.com built an e-commerce 'companion' campaign for Mid-Autumn Festival[29]伊利与京东打造中秋电商“陪伴”营销活动socialbeta.com

  Campaign · Pricing

  The campaign positioned Yili milk as an add-on companion to mooncake purchases and extended the idea through online group tasks and temporary offline installations.

• 2025

  Yili used Tang Guoqiang to communicate a pure-milk upgrade[30]伊利借唐国强传递纯牛奶升级信息socialbeta.com

  Product generation · Campaign

  A series of videos with actor Tang Guoqiang explained claimed improvements in nutrition, taste and standards, using the phrase 'stronger country, stronger milk' to make product-upgrade messages more accessible.

• 2025

  Yili reports FY2024 revenue of RMB 115.78 billion[31]伊利公布2024财年营收1157.8亿元thestar.com

  Other

  Yili’s reported full-year results showed total revenue of RMB 115.78 billion for 2024, according to coverage published after the company released its results.

• 2024

  Yili uses a Paris Olympics meme in its marketing[5]Yili and the Paris Olympics meme campaigndaoinsights.com

  Campaign

  Yili appointed television host Lu Yu as an ambassador for Paris Games watching and built a campaign around online commentary comparing her appearance with the Paris 2024 logo.

• 2024

  Yili reports record 2023 operating income[32]伊利公布2023年营业收入创历史新高wfmz.com

  Other

  The parent company's 2023 report was described as showing operating income of RMB 126.179 billion. This figure applies to the group, not independently to the Yili brand.

• 2024

  Yili expanded Olympic and athlete-centered communication ahead of Paris 2024[33]伊利在2024年巴黎奥运会前扩大围绕奥运与运动员的传播socialbeta.com

  Campaign · Other

  The brand promoted an Yili sports team featuring Chinese athletes and connected its product communication with the Paris Olympic cycle.

• 2024

  Yili apologizes over premature Olympic congratulatory advertising[34]伊利就奥运提前祝贺广告致歉donews.com

  Campaign · Other

  Outdoor advertising tests in Beijing and Shanghai appeared to congratulate athletes before the relevant Paris Olympic finals had taken place. Yili apologized twice, attributed the incident to an inappropriate technical test, and said it would improve advertising approval and deployment procedures.

• 2024

  Yili launched Olympic-themed Paris campaign featuring Lu Yu[5]Yili and the Paris Olympics meme campaigndaoinsights.com

  Campaign · Other

  Yili used online discussion surrounding the Paris Olympic emblem’s resemblance to television presenter Lu Yu to appoint her as a Paris Games-watching ambassador and create a fast-moving social campaign.

Showing the 10 most recent.

1. 1Yili Fruity Chunk Yogurt Renren campaign case studyslideshare.net
2. 2Yili Olympic campaign coverageadvertising.chinasmack.com
3. 3Yili smart vending machine case studymmaglobal.com
4. 4Yili rebrands Classic milk as Satinecampaignasia.com
5. 5Yili and the Paris Olympics meme campaigndaoinsights.com
6. 6Yili investment in Ausnutria Dairyprnewswire.com
7. 7Yili Group acquisition experience involving Ausnutriadavispolk.com
8. 8Yili private placementdairyreporter.com
9. 9Yilien.wikipedia.org
10. 10Case study: Yili China boosts sales with redesigned yogurt packaging during Expocampaignasia.com
11. 11Yili: acquisition of Ausnutria analysisshs-conferences.org
12. 12Yili Group investments and acquisitionscbinsights.com
13. 13Yili Group official websiteyili.com
14. 14Shanghai Stock Exchange company informationsse.com.cn
15. 15Yili investor-relations materialsyili.com
16. 16走进伊利yili.com
17. 17伊利官网yili.com
18. 18伊利官网yili.com
19. 19Joint-stock restructuringdcfmodeling.com
20. 20Shanghai Stock Exchange listingtracxn.com
21. 21Investment in Chomthanatracxn.com
22. 22Private placement completeddairyreporter.com
23. 23Zhang Xingchao workplace-humour advertisementdaoinsights.com
24. 242008 Chinese milk scandalnews.sina.com.cn
25. 252008 Chinese milk scandalnews.ouc.edu.cn
26. 26Former Chairman Zheng Junhuai Sentenced to 6 Years in First Instance for Misappropriation of Public Fundsfinance.sina.com.cn
27. 27伊利围绕马姓明星打造春节营销socialbeta.com
28. 28伊利与京东在春节营销中以“陪伴”为主题socialbeta.com
29. 29伊利与京东打造中秋电商“陪伴”营销活动socialbeta.com
30. 30伊利借唐国强传递纯牛奶升级信息socialbeta.com
31. 31伊利公布2024财年营收1157.8亿元thestar.com
32. 32伊利公布2023年营业收入创历史新高wfmz.com
33. 33伊利在2024年巴黎奥运会前扩大围绕奥运与运动员的传播socialbeta.com
34. 34伊利就奥运提前祝贺广告致歉donews.com
35. 35据报道伊利建立内部民兵单位en.wikipedia.org
36. 36伊利扩大与澳优乳业的合作davispolk.com
37. 37伊利完成对Westland Milk Products的收购baike.baidu.com
38. 38伊利益消荣获“年度最佳酸奶创新奖”-经济-内蒙古新闻网economy.nmgnews.com.cn
39. 39伊利益消荣获亚太乳品峰会“年度最佳酸奶创新奖”<br>一款适合中国人体质的益生菌酸奶finance.cqnews.net
40. 40翼支付发布2020产业合作政策 背靠中国电信布局5G时代finance.sina.com.cn