Cracking the protein puzzle: How China’s dairy industry can invest in high-value ingredients

Driven by evolving consumer preferences for nutrition and functional health, China's dairy industry is undergoing a structural shift toward value-added products and ingredients. This transformation requires dairy companies to move beyond traditional primary processing toward advanced processing capabilities and to invest in opportunities in the cheese/whey stream and native whey to extract dairy proteins.

To remain competitive, Chinese dairy processors will focus on developing health-oriented, protein-rich dairy ingredients. These value-added segments represent significant growth opportunities across the value chain.

In this report, we examine why the sector is ripe for investment, who is investing in this transformation, and how key players are positioning themselves in the evolving market.