New innovation center Yili officially opened.
On Thursday, the new Yili research center has officially been opened by Zhang Jianqiu (CEO Yili Group), Prof. dr. ir. Louise Fresco (President Wageningen University & Research) and Prof. dr. Gerrit Smit (Managing Director Yili Innovation Center Europe). The Yili Innovation Center Europe is located in Plus Ultra on Wageningen Campus. The opening was celebrated with a large network event ‘Connect to Innovate’.
Yili is one of the largest dairy companies of the world and originates from China. It’s China’s largest dairy producer and the only dairy product sponsor of the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. They were also the first Chinese dairy company to have an turnover of 9 billion Euros and a net profit of over 650 million Euros. The Yili Innovation Center Europe is located in The Netherlands and is the first overseas R&D Center of the company. The new innovation center is focused on dairy product and process innovation. The celebrations included presentations and tours around Plus Ultra and were concluded with drinks, snacks and the opportunity to meet other representatives.
With the ‘Connect to Innovate’ event, Yili aims to strengthen relationships and get to know new contacts. There were opportunities to meet over forty representatives from European universities, knowledge institutes and companies. Presentations were held by Zhang Jianqiu (CEO Yili Group), Prof. dr. ir. Louise Fresco (President Wageningen University & Research), Zhang Xinmin (Chief Science & Technology Office Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Drs. Boudewijn Poldermans MA, MBA (Vice Chairman Netherlands China Business Council), Zhang Yi (Deputy Secretary General China Chamber of International Commerce) and Geert van Rumund (Mayor of Wageningen). All presentations underlined the importance of cooperation between The Netherlands and China.