Japanese chocolate manufacturer Meiji forms new dairy company in China

Japanese chocolate and dairy products manufacturer Meiji has announced the establishment of a China-based dairy company called Meiji Dairies (Tianjin).

The new company, which was founded by subsidiary Meiji China Investment, will be engaged in the production of yoghurt and milk products, as well as expand the Japanese firm’s dairy sales in China.

The establishment of the company is part of Meiji Group’s 2026 Vision, which focuses on boosting its presence in the overseas markets.

Meiji’s 2020 Medium-Term Business Plan has identified China as a key overseas market.

Currently, Meiji operates confectionery, ice cream, yoghurt and milk businesses in China. The company noted that its yoghurt and milk businesses have registered a steady growth in the Chinese market due to an increase in health-consciousness across the country.

Another factor identified by the company for the expansion of the Chinese milk market is the growing popularity of chilled milk and increased demand for safety.

The new company, which is expected to become operational in 2023, will further strengthen Meiji’s production infrastructure.

Once operational, Meiji aims to deliver safe and tasty dairy products to a wide range of customers.

Last January, Meiji announced its plans to enhance its production capacity at its two local facilities with an investment of JPY27bn ($248m).

The investment was used to install new production lines at the two facilities to cater to the growing demand for its confectionery products.

The company currently offers several chocolate products, such as Meiji Milk Chocolate and Almond Chocolate.