SANTIAGO, Chile - Oct 21, 2025 - At the International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit 2025, Feihe, China’s leading infant formula producer, took the stage as the only Chinese enterprise invited to deliver a keynote speech. Chairman Leng Youbin presented Feihe’s “Symbiosis Model,” a development framework built over 63 years, which aligns with strategies seen in other globally recognized Chinese companies such as Huawei and BYD.
He articulated a vision of industrial “symbiosis” that spans the entire value chain—from land to consumer—ensuring resilience, safety, and sustainability.
Feihe Chairman Leng Youbin delivers a keynote speech at the International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit in Santiago, Chile, on October 20, 2025.
“Today, our industry faces the dual challenge of pursuing growth while advancing sustainability,” Leng stated. “No single company or country can solve this alone—only through genuine collaboration and symbiotic partnerships can we shape what comes next.”
He outlined a three-part commitment to this philosophy of symbiosis:
Symbiosis with industrial foundations: Building a resilient, integrated supply chain.
Symbiosis with global knowledge networks: Advancing science and innovation through open collaboration.
Symbiosis with the future environment: Committing to long-term green development.
Symbiosis in Action: A Shared Strategy Among Chinese Champions
Feihe’s approach of symbiosis reflects a pattern seen in other major Chinese firms that have achieved global prominence: deep, vertical integration and a long-term commitment to controlling core parts of the supply chain.
The company began building its own ranches and farms over two decades ago—long before it expanded its sales network. Today, Feihe operates 13 company-owned ranches, 13 modern production plants, over 1 million mu of dedicated farmland, and cares for more than 115,000 dairy cows. This integrated system allows Feihe to oversee the entire process—from feed cultivation and animal husbandry to production and recycling—creating what Leng termed a “closed-loop, symbiotic ecosystem.” This strategic foundation supported Feihe’s rise to become the top-selling infant formula brand in China and later, the world.
Feihe's Qiqihar plant in China's Heilongjiang Province
Similarly, in the EV sector, BYD produces its own batteries, chips, and motors, allowing it to maintain production and expand globally even during supply shortages. In tech, Huawei invests heavily in everything from chips and operating systems to network infrastructure to maintain technological self-reliance and ecosystem cohesion.
More Than a Supply Chain—A Symbiotic Circular System
Within Feihe’s system, waste is minimized and resources continually reused. Farm by-products become organic fertilizer, feed supports the herds, and milk meets quality standards that Chairman Leng noted are “20 times stricter than EU benchmarks for total bacteria count.”
This level of control has enabled Feihe to ensure safety and stable supply even during periods of international disruption. It has also supported the company’s global expansion—including receiving Canada’s first infant formula production license issued to a foreign firm and tailoring products for consumers in Southeast Asia.
Global Knowledge Symbiosis: Partnerships Driving Innovation
In addition to full-chain management, Feihe has built research collaborations with more than 20 institutions across seven countries—including Harvard University—to advance breast milk science and infant nutrition. This knowledge symbiosis complements the company’s full-chain operational model and reinforces its capacity for foundational and applied research.
Environmental Symbiosis: Green Development as a Core Value
Environmentally, the company has established China’s largest ecological recycling system in Heilongjiang, China. By converting farming waste into organic fertilizer, the project cuts carbon emissions by nearly 400,000 tons annually—equal to planting more than 20 million trees—an environmental symbiosis model recognized by the United Nations as replicable.
Feihe Practices Green and Low-Carbon Production
A Shared Vision for a Resilient Global Industry
Feihe’s journey—from a national leader to a global voice—demonstrates how symbiotic integration across processes, knowledge, and ecosystems can build trust and resilience on a worldwide scale.
As Chinese companies like Feihe, BYD, and Huawei each show in their sectors, symbiotic strategy does not just solve local challenges—it creates solutions that can be shared, inspiring a more secure and sustainable future for industries around the world.
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Country: China
Website: https://www.feihe.com/
