Yashili
Chinese dairy and nutrition brand best known for infant formula, milk powder and soy-based nutritional foods, now associated with Mengniu.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Yashili is a Chinese dairy and nutrition business whose best-known activities are infant formula, milk powder and soy-based nutritional foods. The business was established in 1983 in Guangdong and developed from a regional food manufacturer into a national producer with a broad portfolio spanning infant and pediatric nutrition, adult and teenage milk powder, soy milk powder, cereal, rice flour and other nutritional products. Its principal operating base is in the Chaozhou area of Guangdong, while production and processing assets have also been associated with Heilongjiang, Shanxi and Zhengzhou. The Yashili name became particularly prominent in China's infant-formula market. The company marketed products under the Yashili and Scient brands, with ranges positioned from value and mainstream segments through middle-to-high-end products. Its infant-nutrition portfolio included the Yashili a-Golden and Newwitt lines and Scient Golden and Ordinary Pack lines. Other products included pediatric rice flour and soy milk powder under Yashili, cereal under Zhengwei, and adult and teenage milk powder under Youyi. Infant formula increasingly became the group's central business, accounting for approximately 80% of sales in the period covered by the company's 2012 interim reporting. Yashili expanded through a large mainland distribution system. Historical company descriptions referred to roughly 1,500 regional distributors, more than 105,000 retail outlets and approximately 15,000 maternal-and-child stores, supported by a substantial marketing workforce and liaison network. The products were distributed through supermarkets, department stores, specialist stores, membership retailers and grocery outlets, with particular attention to lower-tier Chinese cities and the growing maternal-and-child retail channel. The company received outside investment during its expansion phase. Carlyle acquired a minority interest in 2009, while Fosun also invested during the same period. Yashili International Holdings Limited completed a Hong Kong listing in November 2010 under stock code 01230. The listed entity was later brought under the control of Mengniu. In 2013, Mengniu became Yashili's controlling shareholder, linking the brand to one of China's largest dairy groups and to the wider COFCO corporate system. Yashili subsequently became a subsidiary within Mengniu's portfolio, while the operating brand continued to be associated with infant and family nutrition products. New Zealand sourcing became an important part of Yashili's brand and supply-chain story. From around 2010, the company said that milk used in its infant-formula products was sourced from New Zealand. In 2012 it promoted this association through the slogan translated as “Pure New Zealand, Cherish Yashili,” consumer events and parent-child activities. In January 2013, Yashili announced plans for a processing facility at Pokeno in New Zealand's Waikato region, intended to produce finished and semi-finished milk-powder products for the group's international supply chain. Yashili's reputation was severely affected by the 2008 Chinese milk scandal. Testing identified melamine in products associated with three Yashili-related entities or brands, although the company's exported infant-formula products were reported as testing negative. Yashili recalled or captured suspect products, arranged for their destruction and reported major costs from recalls and lost sales. Subsequent allegations concerning repackaging and a contentious compensation dispute involving a consumer further damaged public confidence and became part of the company's corporate history. The dispute was later retried, with the earlier criminal conviction revoked. The Yashili brand remains associated with Mengniu's dairy and nutrition operations, although its former Hong Kong-listed corporate vehicle was privatized and delisted in 2022. Exact current product architecture, ownership arrangements at the operating-company level an…
History
Yashili originated in Guangdong in 1983 and grew into a privately controlled Chinese food manufacturer with particular expertise in milk powder, soy-based beverages and nutritional products. Its development reflected the expansion of China's packaged-food and infant-nutrition markets, as well as the increasing importance of nationwide distributor networks. The company's operating footprint extended beyond Guangdong through production facilities or subsidiaries in Heilongjiang, Shanxi and Zhengzhou. During its expansion, Yashili built a portfolio broader than infant formula. It sold milk powder for adults and teenagers, soy milk powder, pediatric rice flour, breakfast cereals, juice powder, oatmeal, cornmeal products, preserved fruit, supplements and health foods. Over time, infant formula became the commercial center of gravity. The Yashili and Scient brands offered several price and positioning tiers, while Youyi and Zhengwei served adjacent nutritional categories. The company attracted strategic and financial investment in 2009. Carlyle acquired a minority stake, and Fosun also invested. These transactions were presented as providing capital for production and research. Yashili International Holdings subsequently listed in Hong Kong in November 2010 under code 01230. The listing gave the business access to public capital while the Zhang family remained an important shareholder group. The 2008 melamine crisis was the most consequential event in Yashili's history. Chinese authorities found melamine in infant-formula samples connected with three Yashili-related entities or brands. The company said that its exported infant formula did not contain melamine, but the domestic findings led to product withdrawals, destruction of suspect inventory, reduced sales and substantial costs. Yashili stated that the episode caused a total loss of RMB787 million in 2008, principally through recalls, related expenses and lower second-half sales. The company also appointed external safety advisers and sought to rebuild consumer confidence. The crisis generated further controversy. In 2009, a report alleged that Shanxi Yashili had repackaged contaminated powder; Yashili denied the accusation. A separate dispute involved Guo Li, a parent who sought compensation after his daughter developed kidney problems following the use of Yashili products. A proposed settlement became the subject of a police case and a 2010 conviction for blackmail. In 2017, the case was retried and the earlier conviction was revoked. These events became closely associated with public discussion of product safety, corporate accountability and the treatment of consumers after the milk scandal. Yashili later emphasized quality controls, imported inputs and overseas sourcing. It stated that infant-formula milk had been sourced from New Zealand since 2010. Marketing in 2012 associated the brand with New Zealand provenance through advertising, online activity, parent-child roadshows and consumer visits. In January 2013, the company announced a planned New Zealand facility at Pokeno, designed to produce finished and semi-finished milk-powder products. The project represented an attempt to strengthen supply assurance and establish an overseas manufacturing presence. Mengniu became Yashili's controlling shareholder in 2013. This changed the company's strategic setting, placing its infant-formula capabilities within a larger dairy group. Yashili continued to operate as a recognizable brand and retained a broad product history, but its corporate identity increasingly reflected its status as a Mengniu-controlled business. The former Hong Kong-listed company was later privatized and delisted in 2022. Current operating details and leadership should be checked against the latest Mengniu and Yashili corporate disclosures.
- 2022
Privatization and delisting
[1]Yashili International Holdings was privatized and delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
- 2013
New Zealand plant announced
[1]Yashili announced plans for a processing facility at Pokeno in Waikato.
- 2013
Mengniu becomes controlling shareholder
[1]Yashili joined Mengniu's controlled portfolio, creating a closer relationship with one of China's major dairy groups.
- 2012
New Zealand provenance campaign
[1]The company promoted New Zealand milk sourcing through advertising, online participation and parent-child events.
- 2010
Hong Kong listing
[1]Yashili International Holdings listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 01230.
- 2010
New Zealand milk sourcing becomes part of infant-formula strategy
[1]Yashili stated that it began sourcing all milk for its infant-formula products from New Zealand.
- 2009
Carlyle and Fosun invest
[1]Carlyle and Fosun acquired minority interests during Yashili's expansion and capability-building phase.
- 2008
Melamine contamination crisis
[1]Melamine was detected in samples associated with three Yashili-related entities or brands, leading to recalls, destruction of suspect products and a major loss of consumer confidence.
- 1983
Yashili is established in Guangdong
[1]The business that became Yashili was founded in Guangdong and began developing a food and nutrition manufacturing base.
Products and positioning
A Chinese dairy and nutrition brand with a strong emphasis on infant formula, combining mainstream and higher-end product tiers with Chinese distribution reach and New Zealand-linked milk sourcing.
Infant formula
Yashili infant formula
Yashili's principal product family comprises infant-formula products sold across multiple price tiers. Historical ranges included the a-Golden series, Newwitt and other Yashili-branded formulas. The portfolio was aimed at different stages and consumer segments, with premium and mainstream products supported by the company's domestic distribution network and New Zealand-linked milk sourcing.
Infant and pediatric formula
Scient
Scient was Yashili's second major infant-formula brand. Its historical portfolio included Scient Golden and Ordinary Pack ranges, as well as the Merla pediatric milk-formula line. The brand was used to address middle-to-high-end and mainstream segments within China's fragmented infant-nutrition market.
Adult and teenage milk powder
Youyi
Youyi was used for milk-powder products intended for adults and teenagers. It represented Yashili's effort to diversify beyond infant nutrition and participate in broader family and life-stage nutrition categories.
Soy beverages and children's nutrition
Yashili soy milk and pediatric nutrition
The Yashili name was also applied to soy milk powder, infant or pediatric rice flour and related nutritional foods. These products extend the brand into breakfast and supplementary nutrition rather than formula alone.
Cereal and breakfast foods
Zhengwei cereal
Zhengwei was associated with cereal and breakfast products within Yashili's wider food portfolio, including cereal-based products positioned outside the core infant-formula business.
Controversies
2017
Guo Li, parent in infant formula rights case, acquitted on retrial and granted state compensation
Guo Li had been convicted of extortion after seeking compensation over melamine-tainted Yashili infant formula. In 2017 the Guangdong High People's Court acquitted him on retrial, and he later received state compensation. This entry completes the follow-up to the parent's criminal case; it does not treat the original guilty verdict as still valid.
2009
Allegation of repackaged contaminated powder
A published report alleged that Shanxi Yashili had repackaged contaminated milk powder as new product. Yashili denied the allegation.
2009
Guo Li compensation and criminal case
Consumer Guo Li sought compensation after alleging that Yashili products contributed to his daughter's kidney damage. A proposed compensation arrangement was followed by a police case and a 2010 blackmail conviction. The case was retried in 2017 and the earlier conviction was revoked.
2008
Yashili products implicated in China's melamine milk scandal
Testing found melamine in products associated with Guangdong Yashili Group, Shanxi Yashili Dairy and Scient. Yashili recalled or secured suspect inventory and said the crisis caused RMB787 million in losses through recalls, related expenses and reduced sales. The company stated that its exported infant formula tested negative.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Pure New Zealand, Cherish Yashili
China
Yashili promoted the New Zealand origin of milk used in its infant-formula products through a provenance-focused slogan, website messaging, an interactive online event and more than 2,000 parent-child activities.
Outcome. The campaign reinforced New Zealand sourcing as a central element of Yashili's quality and trust positioning.
Brand decisions
2022
Privatization and delistingM&ABackground
Yashili International Holdings was controlled by Mengniu and no longer operated as an independently listed company.
Action taken
The listed entity was privatized and delisted from Hong Kong.
Aftermath
Yashili's corporate reporting and public-market identity became more closely tied to its parent group.
2013
Plan New Zealand processing facilityStrategyBackground
Yashili sought to strengthen its overseas supply chain and support its New Zealand-origin positioning for infant formula.
Action taken
The company announced a planned facility at Pokeno in Waikato for finished and semi-finished milk-powder products.
Aftermath
The announcement marked Yashili's move toward overseas processing and closer integration of New Zealand sourcing with manufacturing.
2013
Mengniu takes control of YashiliM&ABackground
Yashili was seeking scale and stronger support in China's competitive infant-formula market.
Action taken
Mengniu became the controlling shareholder and incorporated Yashili into its dairy portfolio.
Aftermath
Yashili continued as a recognizable infant-nutrition brand within the Mengniu and COFCO corporate structure.
Recent events
Sources7 sources
- 1Yashili - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 2Guo Li caseen.wikipedia.org
- 3Yashili official websiteyashili.com
- 4Guo Li, parent in infant formula rights case, acquitted on retrial and granted state compensationxinhuanet.com
- 5Guo Li, parent in infant formula rights case, acquitted on retrial and granted state compensationgdcourts.gov.cn
- 6Guo Li, parent in infant formula rights case, acquitted on retrial and granted state compensationnews.cnr.cn
- 7雅士利获2019年最佳品牌营销奖chinaz.com
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