China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited and The Bel Group, a world leader in branded cheese and a major global food player, officially signed a "Sustainable Development Cooperation Proposal" to jointly promote sustainable development practices across the Sino-French dairy industry at the sixth meeting of the Sino-French Entrepreneur Committee held in Paris, France.
In the presence of government officials from both countries on May 6, 2024, Li Pengcheng, Executive President of Mengniu; and Frédéric Médard, Chief Financial Official, Chief Impact Officer, and member of the Executive Committee of The Bel Group; signed the landmark cooperation agreement.
During the meeting, China proposed the continued use of the "From French Farm to Chinese Dining Table" full-chain rapid coordination mechanism. This initiative is designed to improve access to high-quality French agricultural products, including cheese, ham, and wine, for Chinese consumers. Additionally, both countries agreed to collaborate and mobilize international efforts to address climate change and promote global biodiversity conservation processes to jointly protect the planet.
According to the agreement, both companies will actively implement the spirit of the meeting and cooperate through the mutual sharing of best sustainable development practices and food decarbonisation which include low-carbon farming practices, nutritional awareness programs, and the fight against food waste. Signed on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-French relations, the strategic cooperation agreement between both companies on sustainable development practices has far-reaching significance and will deepen the all-round cooperation on agriculture and food between China and France.
Li Pengcheng commented, "There is ample room for the Sino-French dairy industry to cooperate. This agreement demonstrates the determination of both companies and countries to participate in global governance and respond to global climate change. We hope to build up a broader platform for sustainable development and cooperation around the world, and leverage the green power of China's dairy industry to build a better world."
Frédéric Médard added, "Menghiu is a leading dairy company in China, we anticipate strong mutual benefits by sharing our best practices. Through this collaboration, we look forward to building a roadmap that will contribute to sustainable dairy production."
