Mobile Menu

Dairy Product Production in China - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Millie Walker Millie Walker Beijing, China Last Updated: July 2025 1440

Revenue

$76.5bn

2025

$76.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

317k

Businesses

802

Wages

$X.Xbn

Dairy Product Production in China industry analysis

China is the fourth-largest milk producer in the world in 2020, after India, the United States and Pakistan. However, per capita consumption of dairy products in China is less than one-third of the global average and lower than in many other developing countries. Due to traditional Chinese dietary patterns and lower living standards, the routine consumption of dairy products is limited across the country.
Moreover, dairy product consumption varies considerably across China. Consumption in rural regions is less than 10% of that in urban areas. Industry revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% over the five years through 2025, to $76.5 billion, increasing by 1.9% from 2024. Rising household incomes, peoples' rising consciousness on health, the implementation of China's three-child policy, the introduction of new dairy products and growing demand from rural markets have driven this growth.
This industry covers a wide range of products, and profit margins depend on different kinds of products. Industry profit makes up approximately 8.6% of industry revenue in 2025. In 2023, China's per capita milk consumption was 42.4kg, far below the world average. China's dairy demand is expected to maintain a relatively high growth in the next few years. The driving factors include rural consumption upgrades, urbanization and multiple types of dairy products.
The dairy industry was temporarily affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020. However, the formation and development of greater national health awareness accelerated with the promotion from the Chinese government and authoritative organizations. Consumption of dairy products, in particular liquid milk, increased as consumers began to realize the importance of consuming high-quality milk protein to supplement nutrition and enhance immunity.
Industry revenue is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.4% over the five years through 2030, to $86.3 billion. Middle- and high-end market segments will account for an increasing share of total revenue, while the share of low-end product segments will decrease slightly. However, the low-end market will continue growing in terms of volume, particularly in less developed parts of China, where per capita incomes are lower.

Trends and Insights

  • Health awareness and consumption upgrading continue. It drives the long-term sustainable growth of the dairy industry.
  • Milk powder is the largest dairy products segment. Yogurt has higher profit margins than ordinary milk.
  • Inner Mongolia is the largest manufacturing area. The dairy industry work as an important pillar industry for this region.
  • The industrial duopolies contribute over 40% of industry revenue. The industry concentration ratio is expected to increase in the future.
Show more

Get more expert insights that help you cut through the noise.

Get fast answers to complex questions about your business or your client’s industry. Annual memberships include unlimited access to data and analysis for thousands of industries globally.

Get in Touch

Power confident decisions with data that connects the dots

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
  • Flexible access in online database via PPT, XLS, Word downloads or AI Chat
  • 100% money back guarantee

How you can access insights on the Dairy Product Production in China industry

The Dairy Product Production in China Industry Report is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.

Comprehensive PDF

Complete analysis, charts and statistic tables in a PDF.

IBISWorld Industry Report Download sample

Ask Phil AI

Generative AI answers driven exclusively by trusted in-house analysts.

IBISWorld Phil AI receiving a prompt
Learn More

My IBISWorld Platform

A web based platform covering thousands of industries and companies globally.

IBISWorld Phil AI receiving a prompt Book a Demo

Related Coverage

Understand the landscape with full access to an IBISWorld license

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $76.5bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Increasing health awareness drive sustainable growth of this industry

  • Rising health consciousness and per capita disposable income have driven demand for dairy products.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Dairy Product Production in China
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Goat milk powder accelerates to develop

  • With increasingly fierce competition within the industry, the industry enterprises have sought "differentiated" categories to open up a new growth path. With improvement of consumption level and the deepening of awareness of goat milk, the goat milk powder market continues to expand.

Biggest companies in the Dairy Product Production in China

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd.
17,090.5
China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited
13,690.3
Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd.
3,510.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 10 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Dairy Product Production in China
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including White milk, Milk powder and Yogurt. White milk is the largest segment of the Dairy Product Production in China.

Trends and Insights

Milk powder is the largest dairy products segment

  • Milk powder is made from fresh milk or goat's milk as raw material, with freezing or heating method, remove almost all the moisture in the milk, dry after adding the appropriate amount of vitamins, minerals and other processed food.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Firms in the Dairy Product Production industry purchase cattle milk, sheep milk and other raw materials to produce milk and dairy products. Enterprises cleanse, sterilize, homogenize, concentrate, dry and ferment these products, and then package and sell them to wholesalers and retailers for resale to final consumers.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Dairy Product Production industry in China include White milk, Milk powder, Yogurt, Ice cream, Cheese and Butter.

Companies

Companies covered in the Dairy Product Production industry in China include Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited and Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd.

Purchase this report to view all 10 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Dairy Product Production industry in China include melamine, ultra high temperature (uht) milk and pasteurized milk.

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Health awareness and consumption upgrading continue. It drives the long-term sustainable growth of the dairy industry.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Milk powder is the largest dairy products segment. Yogurt has higher profit margins than ordinary milk.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Inner Mongolia is the largest manufacturing area. The dairy industry work as an important pillar industry for this region.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The industrial duopolies contribute over 40% of industry revenue. The industry concentration ratio is expected to increase in the future.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Stable and high-quality milk source help enterprises to stand out. Some large players have established their own farms to ensure the quality and uniformity of raw liquid milk...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 7 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 7 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

This industry is not very susceptible to economic cycles. Consumption of dairy products will maintain a stable and uprising trend.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Products type and enterprises scale affect profit margins. Profit margins of yogurt is much higher than that of ordinary milk products, and larger enterprises also have highe...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Dairy Product Production industry in China in 2025?

The market size of the Dairy Product Production industry in China is $76.5bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Dairy Product Production industry in China in 2025?

There are 802 businesses in the Dairy Product Production industry in China, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Dairy Product Production industry in China?

The Dairy Product Production industry in China is likely to be impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a moderate share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Dairy Product Production industry in China?

The Dairy Product Production industry in China is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Dairy Product Production industry in China grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Dairy Product Production industry in China has been growing at a CAGR of 3.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Dairy Product Production industry in China over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Dairy Product Production industry in China is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Dairy Product Production industry in China?

The biggest companies operating in the Dairy Product Production industry in China are Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited and Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd.

What does the Dairy Product Production industry in China include?

White milk and Milk powder are part of the Dairy Product Production industry in China.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Dairy Product Production industry in China?

The company holding the most market share in the Dairy Product Production industry in China is Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd..

How competitive is the Dairy Product Production industry in China?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Dairy Product Production industry in China.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in China include:

  • National Bureau of Statistics China
  • General Administration of Customs
  • People’s Bank of China

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

feedback