From Wageningen to Inner Mongolia: Dutch expert reflects on decade of innovation in China's dairy industry

Borneo Post

11 hours ago

A staff member works at the Innovation Center Europe of China's Yili Group at Wageningen University in Wageningen, the Netherlands on June 19, 2025. – Xinhua photo
WAGENINGEN (Aug 14): For Dr Gerrit Smit, a Dutch food science veteran, a professional leap into the unknown became the defining journey of his career.
After a decade at the helm of the Yili Innovation Center Europe, Smit recently stepped down from his leadership role, passing the baton to fellow Dutch scientist Dr Carolien Van Loo.
But he's not going far, continuing as a senior expert to support the center he helped build from the ground up.
Established in 2014 in the Dutch university town of Wageningen, the Yili Innovation Center Europe marked the first overseas R&D arm of China's dairy giant Yili Group.
It was an ambitious step for a Chinese company eager to tap into Europe's leading food science ecosystem.
For Smit, it was also the start of a personal and professional journey.
Smit (right) works with a colleague at the Yili Innovation Center Europe at Wageningen University in Wageningen, the Netherlands on June 19, 2025. – Xinhua photo
Building bridges, building science
'When I joined, nothing existed, not the team, not the lab, not even the strategy,' Smit told Xinhua in a recent interview.
'It was a challenge, but also an opportunity to build something truly international.'
With a background in molecular microbiology and biochemistry, Smit had held senior roles at Unilever, Finnish dairy firm Valio, and the Netherlands' NIZO food research institute.
He'd also worked in academia across Europe and the United States, including stints at Wageningen University, Leiden University, and the University of Tennessee.
But joining a Chinese company was new territory, and so was acting as a cultural bridge between East and West.
Under Smit's leadership, the center became a hub of Sino-European collaboration, producing tangible breakthroughs in dairy science.
One of its most notable achievements: the development of next-generation infant formulas enriched with human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and probiotics.
These formulations, created in partnership with Wageningen University and other research institutions, have garnered multiple patents.
The center also spearheaded innovations in cheese tailored for the Chinese market, products that combine European craftsmanship with local tastes.
'To see a cheese made with European methods, enjoyed in Chinese households, is deeply rewarding,' Smit said.
Beyond product development, the center has delved into areas like probiotics, food safety, and artificial intelligence, often in collaboration with top European research bodies.
Staff members work at the Innovation Center Europe of China's Yili Group at Wageningen University in Wageningen, the Netherlands on June 19, 2025. – Xinhua photo
Decade of growth and mutual recognition
Smit's decade at Yili coincided with an era of accelerated cooperation between China and Europe in the dairy sector.
He noted their natural complementarity: Europe offers deep scientific expertise and industrial heritage, while China brings market scale, speed, and an appetite for innovation.
'Eleven years ago, European experts knew little about Chinese dairy companies,' he said.
'Now, there's growing recognition of their innovation capabilities and global impact. At the same time, Chinese companies are helping reinvigorate parts of the European dairy ecosystem.'
One of the center's contributions has been its scholarship and internship programmes, which have supported over 50 young researchers from across Europe, including Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
'We've become an incubator for the next generation of dairy scientists,' Smit said.
He also witnessed Yili's remarkable ascent in the global dairy industry, from breaking into the world's top 10 in 2014 to entering the top five by 2020.
Smit noted that, based on his past experience with companies, achieving an annual growth rate of 1 to 2 per cent is already considered impressive.
'But at Yili, I witnessed double-digit growth.'
The rapid growth of Chinese companies like Yili doesn't just show up in terms of business results, it fueled a heightened need for innovation, he added.
Smit was particularly moved by Yili's commitment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
'While many European firms paused investments, Yili built a state-of-the-art lab for us. That showed real long-term vision.'
Undated file photo shows the intelligent and digitalised production line at Yili Modern Intelligent Health Valley in Tumd Left Banner in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. – Xinhua photo
Discovering China, one journey at a time
Before joining Yili, Smit had never visited China. Over the past decade, he's traveled there up to six times a year, from Beijing and Shanghai to Hohhot in Inner Mongolia.
Each visit brought new surprises, from bullet trains and smart dairy farms to sprawling cityscapes rising seemingly overnight.
'What struck me most was the speed of transformation,' he said.
'You'd visit a city, and a few months later it's almost unrecognisable.'
One memory stands out: standing on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, in front of a traditional yurt, surrounded by vibrant greenery.
'At that moment, I understood that the images in Yili's promotional videos weren't marketing. They were real,' he said.
'China isn't just modernising rapidly; it's doing so with deep respect for its environment.'
Smit (centre) and his Chinese colleagues pose for a group photo at an Yili eco-smart pasture in Hohhot city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 26, 2023. – Xinhua photo
From the labs of Wageningen to the steppes of Inner Mongolia, Smit's decade-long journey reflects more than just professional success.
It's a story of cross-cultural collaboration, scientific discovery, and personal growth.
For Smit, what began as a challenge evolved into a deeply rewarding chapter of life – bridging continents, cultures, and industries.
'This experience is one of the greatest gifts of my career,' he said. – Xinhua China dairy Dutch food Xinhua