Strong growth for Yili's NZ operations

Yili owns Westland Milk Products, Hokitika and Oceania Dairy, Glenavy - both have posted combined unaudited revenue growth of 16% compared to the same period last year. Before tax profit growth for the first half of 2025 is 12%.

Executive director, Zhiqiang Li, says profitability is expected to continue to climb for both companies well into 2026.

“Production capacity of high-demand, high-value products across Westland’s Hokitika and Rolleston sites and ODL’s Glenavy facility have undergone significant investment to capitalize on surging global demand for high-quality dairy products,’’ Li said.

Consumer butter production capacity at Hokitika has been boosted by 10,000 tonnes, while increased skim-milk powder production capacity at Glenavy has also led to increased production of UHT Cream at Rolleston with ODL cream now diverted to the Rolleston site.

Production capacity at Rolleston of UHT cream for the Chinese market has been boosted by 20% following investment in a new silo and improvements to the unloading facility.

Li said both Westland and ODL, which since 2024 have also operated under a co-operative external sales arrangement, are well positioned to build revenue growth off the back of increased production capacity.

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“Greater efficiencies and production capacity under this co-operative arrangement give us far more opportunities to optimize product mix and build on our high-value strategy,’’ Li said.

“Profits for the individual companies in the meantime will go through a consolidation period, however, both total revenue and profit margins are expected to continue to show healthy growth,’’ he said.