Yili Group's new butter production line, located in New Zealand, officially starts operations on July 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An overseas landmark was recently achieved by the Yili Group, China's largest dairy company based in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, with manufacturing and distribution sites across the country.

That's when a new butter production line officially started operating on July 19 by Westland Milk Products, the diary company it owns in the town of Hokitika, on the west coast of New Zealand. 

With the new production line starting up, the annual production capacity of high-quality grass-fed butter there has doubled to 42,000 metric tons, making the factory the largest butter plant on the west coast of New Zealand and the largest overseas butter complex built by a Chinese dairy company.

New Zealand Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor attended the official opening. Pan Gang, president of the Yili Group, congratulated the attendees through a video link.

An aerial view of the Westland Milk Products' Hokitika factory. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In order to meet the global demand for high-quality butter, Yili launched the project in March last year to fully upgrade its Hokitika factory.

New Zealand is one of the major butter-producing countries in the world and has a pivotal position in the global market. The history of its subsidiary there can be traced back to 1893. The company uses natural grass-fed milk from the Southern Alps pastures on the west coast of New Zealand and insists on employing local traditional processing techniques. The butter produced by it is said to be rich in natural nutrients and taste.

Three years ago, Yili acquired Westland Milk Products, the second largest dairy company in New Zealand.

Relying on Yili's global network, Westgold butter is now sold in more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

A Westland Milk Products tanker drives to market in New Zealand. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]