Representatives of Yili Group and the University of Cambridge sign a cooperation agreement in Cambridge, Britain, May 18, 2026. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

LONDON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese dairy company Yili Group has recently launched its Global Innovation Vanguard Initiative in Cambridge, Britain, unveiling 13 key innovation projects and expanding cooperation with the University of Cambridge and Springer Nature.

The initiative, jointly released by Yili and China's National Technology Innovation Center for Dairy, covers major areas across the dairy industry chain, including dairy cow breeding, feed conversion, smart farming, advanced processing, functional ingredients, quality and safety control, and sustainable packaging materials.

According to Yili, unlike traditional single-point technological breakthroughs, the initiative focuses on integrating innovation, industrial and value chains, while promoting coordination between basic research, technological development, industrial application and market demand.

Liu Chunxi, senior executive president of Yili Group, said at the launch ceremony that innovation has always been embedded in the company's core development strategy.

"Facing new opportunities and missions for the industry, Yili remains committed to innovation, ecosystem collaboration and consumer health, striving to push the global dairy industry to a higher level," Liu said.

He Jian, head of China's National Technology Innovation Center for Dairy, said the launch in Cambridge sent a message that Chinese researchers and institutions are willing to work openly with global partners to achieve breakthrough innovation.

"Events like this also provide a valuable opportunity to better introduce China's dairy industry to the world," said He, who also leads Yili's Global Innovation Center.

During the event, Yili signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Cambridge to deepen collaboration in basic scientific research, innovation ecosystem development and industrial application.

Andy Neely, professor of manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, said he was pleased to see the cooperation between Yili and Cambridge through an open innovation platform.

"That's all about learning, new ideas, new ways of innovation across industries and across different organizations," he said, adding that "I'm sure they will both learn a lot."

Yili also signed a cooperation agreement with Springer Nature to launch the 2026 edition of the Global Breast Milk Research White Paper, following their first collaboration in 2024.

Stephen Pincock, executive vice president of Impact Solutions of Springer Nature, said the report would map international frontiers while spotlighting China's leadership and the achievements of leading institutions.

"Yili's contribution reflects its commitment to the health of future generations," Pincock added. ■