Food science is evolving from lab discovery to large-scale impact. As consumers seek evidence-based and personalized health solutions, the challenge is to make science both accessible and actionable.

Danone is meeting this challenge through initiatives such as OneBiome, precision fermentation partnerships, digital nutrition platforms, and sustainability-driven R&D. By scaling microbiome and nutritional science globally, Danone is redefining what it means to connect science, health, and everyday life.

In closely following the development of Yoplait China, we have come to see a highly representative growth journey—from a period of pressure, to a return to profitability, and now to a new phase marked by capital transition and brand evolution. This is not only a financial achievement, but also a reflection of strategic judgment and organizational resilience.

In today’s intensely competitive dairy market, where growth logic is being redefined, such experience is particularly valuable for the industry.

From human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to functional probiotics, from novel cheese structure design to AI-driven formulation development, Yili Innovation Center Europe has spent the past decade advancing its vision of “driving industry through science, serving health through technology.” The center has achieved a series of influential breakthroughs across multiple frontiers of nutrition and technology. This journey is not only a real-world exploration of integrating scientific research with dairy innovation, but also a valuable model of cross-border R&D collaboration for dairy companies in China and around the world—demonstrating how science, industry, and consumers can form a positive cycle to build an innovation ecosystem for the future.

Chilled dairy has become one of the most dynamic arenas for product innovation. Consumers now seek not only core nutrition but also functional alignment with active lifestyles and delightful consumption experiences across various moments.

This session explores how to build the next generation of chilled dairy innovation through the synergy of:

-Nutrition enhancement as category foundation

-Functional differentiation to unlock new growth territories

-Experience-driven scenarios from daily nourishment to better-for-you indulgence

-A structured innovation model that sustains category momentum

A practical deep dive into how brands can lead future growth by optimizing across nutrition × function × experience.

8M, 100M, 230M, 500M, to 1B (RMB). At a time when the dairy industry is navigating structural shifts and cooling growth, Öarmilk has delivered a powerful track record, achieving a 100-fold growth trajectory over the past five years.

In the chilled milk category, “taste” is becoming increasingly important. Meiji Co., Ltd. has brought one of its star milk products from Japan to China under the name “Zhen Hao He Milk”. “Zhen Hao He” is a phonetic play on the Chinese phrase “Zhen Hao He (真好喝)”, which literally means “really delicious” or “truly tasty.” This product not only uses patented technology to remove the typical milky odor, but it has also been the top-selling milk product in the Japanese market for more than 20 years.

While many brands rely on trendy flavors to attract younger consumers, Jiufeng has taken a more restrained approach—building a refined everyday dairy experience through thoughtful ingredient selection, balanced flavor, and strong visual expression. Even at a price point of RMB 8.8 per bottle, its matcha milk sold 500,000 bottles within three months, showing that when product quality and aesthetic appeal are both delivered, consumers are willing to pay for it.

Flavor innovation in yogurt is moving beyond “sweet and fruity” toward bolder and more cross-category experiments. Beyond the craze for local fruits such as guava and passion fruit, vegetable-flavored yogurts are quietly emerging—kale, beetroot, and even bitter melon are becoming new favorites on the ingredient list. This not only challenges consumers’ palates but also helps yogurt transcend its role as a “snack,” bridging into the realms of “light meals” and “functional dining.”

As advancements in medical science intersect with evolving consumer expectations, the dairy industry is entering a new phase of growth. Innova Market Insights will explore how the post-GLP-1 era is reshaping eating behaviors and health priorities. This session will highlight key innovation trends in dairy and translate them into real-life consumer moments—uncovering specific needs and product opportunities. The aim is to help brands move from high-level trend insights to actionable innovation directions, enabling more precise positioning in an increasingly complex consumption landscape.

The global GLP-1 market is projected to surpass $150 billion by 2035, yet 40% of users suffer from side effects such as nausea and muscle loss. This "unhealthy weight loss" pain point presents a major strategic opportunity for the dairy industry, leveraging its natural advantages in high-quality proteins and prebiotics. FrieslandCampina Ingredients will explore how a “Triple Engine”—comprising Premium Protein Blends, Gut Comfort, and Satiety Boost—can mitigate side effects, positioning dairy Ingredients as the essential “Nutritional New Infrastructure” for hundreds of millions of weight-loss consumers worldwide.

GLP-1 drugs are sweeping the globe, reshaping the weight management landscape.

Yet as questions around efficacy, side effects, cost, and accessibility emerge, growing attention is shifting to the “post-GLP-1 era.” Diverse approaches—ranging from nutritional interventions and functional foods to metabolic health formulations—are entering the field.

What structural changes has the GLP-1 boom already triggered? And as the market normalizes or cools, where will the next wave of innovation and business opportunities in weight management arise? Where are the advantages and opportunities for enterprises?

As food technology continues to evolve at unprecedented speed, even the most established categories — including ice cream — are being redefined by new innovation paradigms. From novel ingredients and processing technologies to digital tools and artificial intelligence, R&D is entering a new era of precision, speed, and complexity.

In this session, we will explore how global ice cream leader 『Magnum』 is reimagining innovation through the lens of technology and AI. The discussion will examine which emerging technologies truly unlock scalable value, how AI can accelerate consumer insight generation and flavor development, and where human creativity, sensory judgment, and strategic decision-making remain irreplaceable. The session will also address how large organizations balance bold innovation with commercial viability, transforming ice cream R&D from inspiration-led development into a disciplined, future-ready system.

Against the backdrop of fierce competition between ice cream and freshly made dairy brands in China, and rapidly shifting consumer preferences, DQ has continued to deliver stable and resilient growth. In 2025, with a network of more than 1,800 stores, DQ launched over 150 new products. These new offerings accounted for more than 60% of total annual sales, while average sales per store increased by over 11% year on year.

Behind this performance is not a reliance on a single blockbuster product or short-term marketing campaigns, but a highly focused, well-paced, and long-term-oriented product strategy.

In the highly competitive and seasonal ice cream market, Pobeice has carved out a distinctive growth path. Since its founding in 2020, the brand has quickly expanded from a regional player to a national presence across over 150 cities and 1,150+ stores. Leveraging a combination of “freshly made products + hit items + visually appealing designs,” it has stood out among young consumers.

Amidst a market characterized by price wars, innovation races, and visual competition, how has Pobeice managed to break through and differentiate itself in the freshly made ice cream segment?