Digitalization in the food industry, especially in the dairy sector, is becoming a key factor in economic development and sustainable growth of the Russian economy. In the context of global competition and growing demands for product quality, cost reduction and supply chain transparency, the application of digital technology is becoming an integral part of the strategic planning of dairy processing enterprises. Digitalization not only optimizes production processes, but also significantly increases their competitiveness in the market, ensuring sustainable development in the long term. This contribution is devoted to the analysis of modern challenges and prospects for digitalization in the dairy industry of Russia. The authors consider the concept of digital maturity of enterprises, the stages of integration of digital technologies based on the RAMI 4.0 model, as well as the potential of digitalization to increase production efficiency, reduce costs and improve product quality. The work provides examples of the successful application of digital solutions in the dairy industry, demonstrating a significant economic effect.