Yili Group was formerly known as Hohhot Hui Dairy Food Factory. It was first developed from the state-owned Hongqi Dairy Farm in Hohhot. In April 1982, Hohhot's state-owned Hongqi Dairy Farm received its business license, and the competent authority was Hohhot Animal Husbandry Industrial and Commercial United Enterprise Co., Ltd. In November 1983, the Hohhot Municipal Government decided to publicize the Hongqi Dairy Farm into a Hui Dairy Farm and a Hui Fresh Milk Food Processing Factory. In December 1983, the Hohhot Animal Husbandry Industrial and Commercial United Enterprise Co., Ltd. reported to the city government that the two separate plants (factories) were officially named Hui Dairy Farm and Hui Dai Food Processing Factory. In March 1984, the Hohhot Hui Milk Food Processing Factory was officially registered, and the competent authority was the Hohhot Mud Industry and Commerce United Enterprise Co., Ltd. In November 1988, the Hohhot Muslim Milk Food Processing Factory was renamed the Hohhot Mud Industry and Commerce United Company Halal Milk Food Factory. In August 1990, it applied to change its name to Hohhot Jiamin Dairy Food Processing Factory. In November 1990, it received a business license and became a state-owned enterprise with independent legal personality. In November 1991, it applied to change its name to Hohhot Huimin Dairy Food Factory, and received its business license in June 1992.

In December 1992, the Hohhot People's Government agreed to transform the Hohhot Jiamin Dairy Food Factory into a joint-stock reform pilot enterprise; in February 1993, it was approved by the Hohhot Sports Reform Commission. Based on the joint-stock reform of the Dairy Food Factory, it was initiated by 21 promoters, absorbed other legal persons and internal employees into the shares, and established the Yili Group through targeted fundraising. It was registered with the Hohhot Administration for Industry and Commerce on June 14, 1993. register.

With the approval of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Securities Administration Commission on September 4, 1995, and the review and approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission in January 1996, the company issued 17.15 million ordinary shares to the first social development company. On March 12, 1996, "Yili Shares" was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. On April 12, 1997, the company name was changed from "Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Co., Ltd." to "Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd."

Yili Group is one of the leading enterprises in the national dairy industry. It is also one of the 520 key industrial enterprises in the country as assessed by the State Economic and Trade Commission and one of the 151 leading agricultural industrialization enterprises in the country as determined by eight national ministries and commissions. The "Yili" brand products produced by Yili Group with halal characteristics are sold all over the country due to their excellent quality and good services, and are deeply favored and respected by consumers. Yili's ice cream and ice cream production and sales have ranked first in the country for seven consecutive years. Yili's UHT milk production and sales have ranked first in the country. Yili's milk powder and milk tea powder have ranked among the top three in the country. In 1999, the "Yili" trademark was recognized as a "Well-known Trademark in China" by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. Yili Group is the first in the country's food industry to pass the ISO9002 international quality system certification; more than 100 varieties of 39 types of products produced by the company have passed the green food certification of the National Green Food Development Center.

In March 1996, Yili stock was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Since its listing, it has been rated as a "30" index sample stock and a "CSI? 6? 1 Asian Business China with the Most Development Potential" "Top 50 Listed Companies". As the only listed company in the national dairy industry, it ranked first in profits and taxes in the same industry nationwide in 2000. With its good performance and rapid growth, Yili has become a recognized blue-chip blue-chip stock in the securities market.

In 2001, Yili's main business revenue reached more than 2.7 billion yuan, with total profits and taxes reaching 340 million yuan. The earnings per share of Yili stock is 0.82 yuan, ranking 8th among 1,175 listed companies in the country. For the third consecutive year, the company was rated as one of the "CSI? 6? 1 Asia Business China's Top 50 Most Potential Listed Companies", and its ranking rose from 24th in the previous year to 5th. In the first half of 2002, the company achieved main business income of more than 2 billion yuan, an increase of 54% over the same period last year, and earnings per share reached 0.48 yuan. Yili Group owns the country's largest high-quality milk source bases - Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia, Hulunbuir Prairie, and Heilongjiang Duerbot Prairie.

In 2004, Yili Group achieved main business income of 8.735 billion yuan, an increase of 38.67% over the previous year; total assets reached 4.85 billion yuan, an increase of 19.86% year-on-year; and total profits were 379 million yuan, an increase over the same period of the previous year. 18.81; net profit was 239 million yuan, an increase of 19.81 over the same period last year; earnings per share was 0.61 yuan. From 2003 to the present, Yili Group's main business revenue ranks first in the industry. It has always led the Chinese dairy industry with strong strength and topped the list of the top 100 Chinese listed companies in terms of operating performance in 2002.

As of the first half of 2004, Yili Group has been shortlisted for the "Top 500 Chinese Enterprises" for two consecutive times, and has been selected for the "China Securities·Asian Business China's Top 50 Listed Companies with the Most Development Potential" for six consecutive times. In the same year, as the only two domestic companies, Yili and Haier ranked among the top ten most popular brands in the Chinese market. In the selection of China's 500 most valuable brands, Yili ranked with a brand value of 12.787 billion yuan. 38th, ranking first in China’s food industry.