On September 2, the Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Congress and Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Award Conference were held in Shijiazhuang. Thanks to 29 years of dedicated efforts in developing new dairy technologies, processes and industrialization, Wei Lihua, Chairman and President of Junlebao Dairy Group, was awarded the Lifetime Honor of the 2023 Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award and delivered a speech at the conference. Secretary of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee Ni Yuefeng presented certificates to the two laureates of the Outstanding Contribution Award. Together with the two laureates, the attending leaders awarded certificates to the representatives of the winners of the Provincial Natural Science Award, Technological Invention Award and Science and Technology Progress Award.
Secretary Ni Yuefeng spoke highly of the new progress and achievements made in science and technology across Hebei Province. On behalf of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee and the People's Government, he extended warm congratulations to all award-winning organizations and individuals, and sincere greetings and high respect to the vast number of scientific and technological workers in the province. He emphasized the need to effectively advance the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, leverage new technologies to transform and upgrade traditional industries, promote the innovative application of artificial intelligence and other technologies based on industrial demands, and accelerate the cultivation of new productive forces characterized by innovation.
Established by the People's Government of Hebei Province, the Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Award is closely aligned with the province's major strategic needs and science and technology development plans. As a lifetime achievement honor, the Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award is the highest award for those who have long been engaged in scientific and technological work and made outstanding contributions to the scientific, technological, economic and social development of Hebei Province. The award is conferred only once in a lifetime, with no more than two recipients each year.
Innovating Industrial Models to Set a New World-Class Benchmark for Quality
As a representative of the award winners, Chairman Wei Lihua shared the experience and achievements of revitalizing the national dairy industry through scientific and technological innovation at the conference. Junlebao has pioneered two innovative models in the dairy industry:The Integrated Whole-Industrial-Chain Model, which means full self-ownership and control of the entire process from dairy cow breeding, forage planting, dairy farming to production and processing, ensuring product quality and safety.The Six World-Class Model, covering world-class dairy cow breeding, a world-class R&D platform, world-class advanced pastures, world-class leading factories, world-class suppliers and a world-class food safety management system, guaranteeing the premium quality of products.
Over the past 29 years, Mr. Wei and Junlebao's R&D team have kept pace with the global frontier of dairy science and technology, and continuously carried out original and leading scientific and technological research. Under his leadership, Junlebao has successively won 3 First Prizes of Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, 17 authorized patents and 1 Enterprise Technological Innovation Award, driving the high-quality development of the dairy industry.
Innovating Core Technologies to Forge a New Engine for the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements
In recent years, by implementing the strategy of developing the enterprise through science and technology, Junlebao has established the Junlebao Scientific Strategy Think Tank in cooperation with top domestic and foreign institutions and experts, and invested 500 million yuan in building the Institute of Scientific Nutrition. The Group has focused on core technologies crucial to the development of the dairy industry and conducted scientific research across the entire industrial chain.
To break dependence on imported breeding cattle and develop breeding cattle with completely independent intellectual property rights, Junlebao entered the dairy cow breeding field in 2021, establishing a variety of breeding institutions including bull stations, core breeding farms and embryo transfer demonstration farms, and was successfully selected into the list of national seed industry leading enterprises. Junlebao has built a culture collection center with more than 1,000 lactic acid bacteria strains, and developed probiotics with independent intellectual property rights, breaking the foreign monopoly in this field. The Group has also established a human milk sample bank to support the human milk-oriented development of infant formula milk powder. At present, Junlebao Dairy Group has obtained 214 authorized patents, achieved the transformation of 51 scientific and technological achievements, and won 16 science and technology awards at or above the provincial and ministerial levels. By fully integrating scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, Junlebao has realized the sound development of the dairy industry.
Innovating New Product R&D to Create a New Path for High-Quality Development
Guided by the market, driven by innovation and supported by product development, Junlebao has continuously promoted product iteration and launched a series of innovative products. Among them:Freshjoy fresh milk, adopting INF 0.09s ultra-instant sterilization technology, has quickly become the top brand of high-end fresh milk;Junlebao's low-temperature yogurt has maintained the national first place in market share;SimPurity yogurt is the top brand of low-temperature yogurt in China;Youcui Baoai organic milk powder has become the top brand of organic milk powder within three years of its launch.
Junlebao's product portfolio features high technological content and superior quality, and has won the trust of a large number of consumers since their launch, laying a solid foundation for the Group's further in-depth product R&D. In April this year, Hurun Research Institute released the 2024 Global Unicorn Index, and Junlebao was named a 2024 Global Unicorn Enterprise.
Serving the country through science and technology is the original aspiration and mission of every scientific and technological worker, and developing an enterprise through science and technology is an inexhaustible driving force for promoting industrial development. Wei Lihua stated that he will lead Junlebao to further increase investment in scientific and technological innovation, tackle tough challenges and continue to strive for progress. He is committed to making new and greater contributions to comprehensively building a economically strong and beautiful Hebei, and writing a brilliant chapter for the construction of Chinese modernization in Hebei.