Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 2, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleChinese tourists visit Momchilovtsi, Bulgaria, for its yoghurt festival, known for cultural performances and health benefits of local yoghurt.
MOMCHILOVTSI, Bulgaria (Reuters) -Every year, hundreds of Chinese tourists flock to the Bulgarian mountain village of Momchilovtsi for a festival celebrating the local yoghurt, which is renowned for its health benefits and has become a hit among consumers in China.
The Chinese visitors mingle with locals in the village in the Rhodope Mountains near the Greek border. On a stage in the village square, singers and bagpipers in traditional embroidered costumes perform folk songs in the late summer sun.
Yoghurt and cheese producers from the region, many of whom speak some Chinese, offer samples and products for sale.
"Bulgarian yoghurt is very popular in China ... so we want to try the pure yoghurt here," said Ge Lin, 37, a tourist from China.
Chinese tourists have been visiting Momchilovtsi since 2009, when a Chinese dairy company first imported the bacteria found in the local yoghurt. The company's product, branded Mosilian, is now sold in most Chinese supermarkets.
In the early 20th century, Bulgarian microbiologist Stamen Grigorov and Russian zoologist Élie Metchnikoff found that consuming yoghurt helped Bulgarian peasants to live longer.
Bulgarian yoghurt contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and other bacteria unique to the region, which boost health, immunity, and longevity, said Prof. Dr. Penka Petrova, director of the Institute of Microbiology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
"Bulgarian yoghurt may be the world's first probiotic and has been used to treat various ailments. Each bacterial strain isolated from homemade yoghurt has distinct properties," she said.
A number of recent scientific studies have found fermented dairy products from Bulgaria have beneficial health properties.
Dimitar Danchev, 37, a fourth-generation livestock breeder from the region, said local yoghurt is made from both cows' and sheep's milk and its properties vary according to the season.
"In spring, when animals graze on fresh grass, the yogurt has specific characteristics, ... while in autumn, when the grass is drier, the milk is thicker."
Mitra Pareva, 95, said yoghurt has been part of her daily diet for her whole life.
"Yoghurt is good for me. The first foods on my table are bread and yoghurt," she said.
(Reporting by Stoyan Nenov and Spasiyana Sergieva; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Ros Russell)
Chinese tourists visit Momchilovtsi to experience the local yoghurt, which is celebrated at a festival each year. The yoghurt is renowned for its unique health benefits and cultural significance.
Bulgarian yoghurt contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and other unique bacteria that boost health, immunity, and longevity. It is considered one of the world's first probiotics.
The popularity of Bulgarian yoghurt in China began in 2009 when a Chinese dairy company imported the bacteria used in local yoghurt, leading to increased interest and tourism to Bulgaria.
Local yoghurt is made from both cows' and sheep's milk, with its properties varying by season. For instance, yoghurt made in spring has different characteristics compared to that made in autumn.
Bulgarian microbiologist Stamen Grigorov and Russian zoologist Élie Metchnikoff were pivotal in discovering that yoghurt consumption contributed to longevity among Bulgarian peasants in the early 20th century.
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