China's Dairy Market: Online Sales Hit CN¥ 44.7B in 2025
By Jotham Lim
5 min read
Online sales of dairy products on three of China's largest online marketplaces reached CN¥ 44.7 billion in 2025, according to Moojing Market Intelligence, and liquid milk and yogurt made up almost two thirds of them. In January to April 2026 dairy sales were 6.0% higher than in the same months of 2025, but liquid milk and yogurt sales were level, and camel milk, which grew 53.7%, supplied more than two thirds of the increase.
Key figures
- CN¥ 44.7 billion: online sales of dairy products in 2025
- CN¥ 29.0 billion: liquid milk and yogurt, 64.7% of dairy sales in 2025
- CN¥ 9.6 billion: adult and family milk powder in 2025, at an average of CN¥ 117.9 per item
- +6.0%: growth in January to April 2026 on the same months of 2025
- +53.7%: camel milk and camel milk powder in January to April 2026, more than two thirds of the increase in dairy sales
Method and scope: observed online sales of dairy products on three of China's largest online marketplaces in 2025, and in January to April 2026 against the same months of 2025, from Moojing Market Intelligence. Dairy here means liquid milk and yogurt, both ambient and chilled; adult and family milk powder, including student, women's and goat milk powder; camel milk and camel milk powder; and cheese, butter and dairy snacks such as milk tablets, as the marketplaces group them. Infant and children's formula, which the marketplaces list under mother and baby, and milk drinks are not included. Growth compares January to April 2026 with the same four months of 2025. Calendar 2025 is not compared with 2024, because in July 2024 one marketplace moved its dairy categories to a new structure that changed how much liquid milk it recorded. January to April of both 2025 and 2026 fall after that change, so the two periods are like for like. This is online sales only, not the total market.
How big is China's online dairy market?#
Online dairy sales on the three marketplaces reached CN¥ 44.7 billion in 2025, on 695.4 million items sold at an average price of CN¥ 64.3. Liquid milk and yogurt are by far the largest of the four categories in Exhibit 1.
| Category | 2025 online sales | Share of dairy, 2025 | Average price per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid milk and yogurt | CN¥ 29.0 billion | 64.7% | CN¥ 53.4 |
| Adult and family milk powder | CN¥ 9.6 billion | 21.3% | CN¥ 117.9 |
| Camel milk and camel milk powder | CN¥ 4.1 billion | 9.2% | CN¥ 266.0 |
| Cheese, butter and dairy snacks | CN¥ 2.1 billion | 4.7% | CN¥ 37.4 |
| All dairy | CN¥ 44.7 billion | 100% | CN¥ 64.3 |
Exhibit 1. Source: Moojing Market Intelligence, observed online sales on three of China's largest online marketplaces, 2025. An item is a listing as sold, often a case or a multipack. Not the total market.
Is China's dairy market growing in 2026?#
Online dairy sales grew in early 2026, although sales of liquid milk and yogurt barely did. Sales in January to April 2026 were CN¥ 14.2 billion, 6.0% higher than in the same months of 2025, on 6.7% more items sold. Shoppers bought 5.1% more items of liquid milk and yogurt at an average price 4.5% lower, CN¥ 52.7 against CN¥ 55.2, so sales of the largest category rose only 0.4%. Almost all the growth in value came from the three smaller categories.
| Category | January to April 2025 | January to April 2026 | Growth | Growth in items sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid milk and yogurt | CN¥ 8.76 billion | CN¥ 8.79 billion | +0.4% | +5.1% |
| Adult and family milk powder | CN¥ 3.01 billion | CN¥ 3.12 billion | +3.6% | +2.4% |
| Camel milk and camel milk powder | CN¥ 1.03 billion | CN¥ 1.58 billion | +53.7% | +25.0% |
| Cheese, butter and dairy snacks | CN¥ 0.61 billion | CN¥ 0.72 billion | +17.7% | +25.5% |
| All dairy | CN¥ 13.40 billion | CN¥ 14.20 billion | +6.0% | +6.7% |
Exhibit 2. Source: Moojing Market Intelligence, observed online sales on three of China's largest online marketplaces, January to April 2026 against the same months of 2025. Not the total market.
Camel milk and camel milk powder, the most expensive dairy category per item, grew 53.7% to CN¥ 1.6 billion on 25.0% more items sold at an average price 23.0% higher. Their share of dairy sales rose from 7.7% to 11.1%. Cheese, butter and dairy snacks grew 17.7%, on 25.5% more items at a lower average price.
How big is China's adult milk powder market online?#
Online sales of adult and family milk powder reached CN¥ 9.6 billion in 2025, on 81.0 million items sold at an average price of CN¥ 117.9. Goat milk powder made up 11.8% of those sales, or CN¥ 1.1 billion, at a higher average price of CN¥ 159.8. In January to April 2026 milk powder sales grew 3.6% on the same months of 2025, on 2.4% more items sold at an average price 1.2% higher, CN¥ 123.2 against CN¥ 121.8.
Because infant and children's formula is left out and camel milk powder is counted with camel milk, these figures are not comparable with milk powder totals that include either.
What does this mean for dairy brands in China?#
In early 2026 each of the four dairy categories sold more items online than a year earlier, but in liquid milk and yogurt the extra volume came at lower prices, so their sales barely grew. The growth in value came from camel milk, the most expensive category per item, and to a lesser extent from cheese and adult milk powder.
Earlier editions#
This is the 2025 edition of our coverage of China's dairy market. Earlier editions measured different periods and defined milk powder differently, so their figures are not comparable with the ones above. They covered online milk powder sales and its segments in Q1 2024, children's milk powder and product strategies in Q1 2024 and UHT milk and cheese in Q1 2024. Others covered the adult milk powder market in 2023, the middle-aged and elderly milk powder segment in 2023, how imported milk powder brands grew in 2023 and what milk powder buyers look for against what brands say, 2021 to 2023.
This content adheres to Moojing's editorial standards .
Frequently Asked Questions
Online sales of dairy products on three of China's largest online marketplaces reached CN¥ 44.7 billion in 2025, according to Moojing Market Intelligence. Liquid milk and yogurt made up CN¥ 29.0 billion, adult and family milk powder CN¥ 9.6 billion, camel milk and camel milk powder CN¥ 4.1 billion, and cheese, butter and dairy snacks CN¥ 2.1 billion. These are online sales only, not the total market.
Online dairy sales on three of China's largest online marketplaces in January to April 2026 were 6.0% higher than in the same months of 2025, according to Moojing Market Intelligence. Liquid milk and yogurt sales were level, as shoppers bought 5.1% more items at a 4.5% lower average price, while camel milk and camel milk powder grew 53.7% and cheese, butter and dairy snacks 17.7%.
Online sales of adult and family milk powder on three of China's largest online marketplaces were CN¥ 9.6 billion in 2025, according to Moojing Market Intelligence, at an average price of CN¥ 117.9 per item. Sales grew 3.6% in January to April 2026 on the same months of 2025. The figure leaves out infant and children's formula, which the marketplaces list under mother and baby, and camel milk powder.
