Join USDEC in Madison, Wisconsin on September 5, 2017, for a meeting and dinner with a delegation of five R&D/technical staff from Chinese dairy/yogurt manufacturers and Chang Su of USDEC's China office. The delegation will be visiting Wisconsin to gain innovation ideas and technical solutions to utilizing functional and nutritional U.S. dairy ingredients such as whey and milk proteins in yogurt and cultured dairy applications. 

Members' participation in the September 5 meeting and dinner will provide an opportunity for face-to-face dialogue with leading Chinese yogurt manufacturers while reinforcing the capacity and commitment of the U.S. dairy industry in meeting Chinese customers' needs. Locations for the meeting and dinner are noted below. (Space for dinner is limited.)

The meeting will start at 10:30am with an overview about yogurt market opportunities in China and a discussion session on what Chinese yogurt manufacturers are seeking from U.S. suppliers.  The afternoon will include opportunities for participating USDEC members to deliver presentations introducing your company and portfolio of U.S.-origin products.

Why Participate?

Demand for yogurt is surging in China as health conscious consumers seek out nutritious products with a touch of indulgence that can be conveniently added to their daily diet. As a major supplier of WPCs, MPCs and other dairy ingredients, the United States is well positioned to seize these growth opportunities.

• China is the largest market globally for yogurt (includes spoonable and drinkable) with a value of $15.4 billion in 2016 (ahead of the second-ranked United States at $9 billion).
• China’s yogurt sales value grew at a 20.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2011-2016, and is projected to further expand at a 14.1% CAGR between 2016-2021 to reach $30 billion in sales by 2021.
• USDEC China estimates that about 4,000 mt of WPCs and MPCs were used in yogurt in 2016. WPCs and/or MPCs are added to the formula of mid to high-end yogurts, with volume and value projected to continue growing in the years ahead as the yogurt category further expands.
• China’s present per capita yogurt consumption is estimated at around 4.8 kg per annum, far less than developed countries. By 2020, it is projected that the per capita annual consumption of yogurt in China could climb to 8.4kg, reflecting significant yet-untapped potential for U.S. dairy ingredients to be utilized in yogurt.
• We look forward to your participation!

Contact Kristi Saitama (ksaitama@usdec.org) or Amy Foor (afoor@usdec.org) to confirm your participation or request additional information.