Asia’s leading dairy brand Yili Group in partnership with China’s largest palm oil trader Yihai Kerry spearheaded the first shipment of RSPO-Identity Preserved (IP) Certified sustainable palm oil to China
The arrival of the first shipment of RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) at the Shanghai port marks a significant milestone for the Chinese market. This pioneering effort was led by Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili Group), Asia’s leading dairy brand and one of the top five globally, in collaboration with Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co., Ltd. (Yihai Kerry), which is the largest palm oil trader in China and a member of the RSPO group under Wilmar.
This initial batch consists of 750 tonnes of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, certified under the Identity Preserved (IP) supply chain model. This model ensures that certified palm oil remains separate from conventional supplies throughout the supply chain, guaranteeing its traceability and sustainability. This delivery is particularly notable as it follows the RSPO-IP certification of Shanghai Kerry Food Industries (under Wilmar) in August 2024, making it the first site in China to achieve this certification.
Palm oil is a crucial ingredient in Yili’s ice cream production. In 2023, the company consumed a total of 35,000 tonnes of palm oil, of which 360 tonnes (1.03 per cent) were RSPO-certified under the Mass Balance (MB) model. This recent development highlights Yili’s commitment to expanding its use of RSPO-IP-certified palm oil and underscores the group’s goal of achieving a deforestation-free supply chain by 2030.
