Yili and Wageningen UR signed an agreement to do joint research at a presentation in Orion, at which Yili staff were dressed up as cows and milk was served in champagne flutes. Initially, the research centre will recruit 10 employees who will focus on dairy production, farm management and food safety.
Yili, in terms of turnover in 12th place in the global dairy sector, picked Food Valley for its first European R&D branch. Yili boss Plan Gang came over from China for the official opening. The Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands, Chen Xu, was also present. The R&D centre will start in Radix in April with three or four researchers, after which the Wageningen branch will expand rapidly over the next few years.