August 14, 2013

China's Yili dairy plant in New Zealand to be operational by July 2014

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group's (Yili) dairy processing plant in Glenavy, at the Southern Canterbury region in New Zealand, is scheduled to be operational in July 2014.

The Chinese-owned milk powder plant at the corner of Cooneys Rd and State Highway One, 61km south of Timaru, is estimated to be worth US$214 million.

It follows the go-ahead for Chinese company, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili) to acquire 100% of the shares in Oceania Dairy Ltd (Oceania) in April, with the powder to be exported to China and used in the production of infant milk formula.

The Glenavy plant will employ about 100 people and have a full capacity of 47,000 tonnes per year.