Developing products for older adults requires far more than delivering nutritional benefits – consumer acceptance also depends on taste, product positioning, and ease of use.
“In China, if a product doesn’t taste good, people won’t be buying it again,” said Yili Group Vice President Ignatius Szeto.
“So we have to think about nutrition, taste, and the emotional value and meaning of the product for consumers.”
Szeto was speaking at our Growth Asia Summit 2026, held in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands from 8 to 10 July.
He noted that while older consumers increasingly seek products that address age-related health concerns, they do not necessarily want to purchase products explicitly marketed as being for the elderly.
“Certain populations want products catered to their needs, but no one wants to look for an elderly product,” the spokesperson said. ”A good product may not sell well if the communication is not right.”
Beyond functional health benefits, Yili is also positioning its elderly nutrition products as part of everyday lifestyles rather than products solely associated with ageing. For example, the company markets its whole milk powder not only as a source of protein and calcium for older adults, but also as a versatile ingredient for home baking and beverages such as cakes and milk tea, highlighting its taste, convenience and multiple uses in the kitchen.
As a result, Yili said it places considerable emphasis on consumer communication and education alongside product development, particularly in areas where consumers may not naturally associate dairy with health benefits.
“For blood sugar management, dairy is not what consumers think of. So we do a lot of education to help consumers understand our products,” said Szeto.
Bridging tradition and science
One of Yili’s approaches has been incorporating familiar TCM ingredients into dairy formulations to improve consumer understanding and acceptance.
The company worked with Beijing Tongrentang to develop products targeting bone and joint health using TCM recipes alongside dairy ingredients.
“We worked with Beijing Tongrentang to look for TCM recipes so that it’s easier for Chinese consumers to understand and relate to,” Szeto said.
“By combining TCM and familiar ingredients, it’s easier for Chinese consumers to understand that the product can cater to their needs.”
The company has also developed immunity-focused milk combining ingredients such as lactoferrin and goji berries, while conducting scientific studies to validate their efficacy.
According to Szeto, the use of TCM extends beyond adding familiar ingredients for marketing purposes.
“These are not image ingredients to lure consumers,” he said.
“Sometimes we change the physical and chemical characteristics of the TCM ingredients so that they’re more bioavailable or can exert the actual function they’re supposed to. Ingredient combinations are designed to produce synergistic benefits, with efficacy exceeding that of the individual components.”
Innovation beyond ingredients
For Yili, innovation for healthy ageing also extends to product design.
Recognising that many elderly consumers experience reduced grip strength or swallowing difficulties, the company has adapted both packaging and product texture to improve usability.
“For elderly consumers, they cannot flip open cans easily because they have less grip and less strength,” Szeto said.
“So we work on packaging and texture, and we make sure they can swallow easily without problems.”
He added that China’s policy environment is also creating favourable conditions for healthy ageing innovation.
Due to initiatives under Healthy China 2030 and broader preventive healthcare efforts, investment in nutrition is increasingly recognised as a means of reducing future healthcare costs, creating opportunities for companies developing products for an ageing population.
“As China’s largest dairy producer, Yili is also supporting broader industry innovation through its National Technology Innovation Center for Dairy, working with experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering across areas including nutrition, dairy processing, quality standards and farm management,” said Szeto.
