SPC Group Establishes Yeast Research Center with Kangwon National University
On January 24th, SPC Group (Chairman Hur Young-in) announced that it has established New Yeast Frontier Center for the joint study of yeast with Kangwon National University (KNU, President: Kim Heon-young) and held the opening ceremony on the 21st.
uated at the Institute of Yeast Research in Jiphyeon Hall of KNU’s Chuncheon Campus, New Yeast Frontier Center was established following the ‘Agreement for cooperation in research to secure superior yeast resources for baking’ signed between SPC Group and KNU in September 2021. The research center will serve as an outpost for various cooperation projects in addition to the development and industrialization of yeast resources for baking.
The opening ceremony for the research center was held with more than 20 attendants including the head of SPC Research Institute of Food and Bio Technology Seo Jin-ho, KNU President Kim Heon-young, head of KNU Institute of Yeast Research Kim Myeong-dong, Mayor Lee Jae-su of Chuncheon City, and Commissioner Lee Sang-cheon of Gangwon Regional SMEs and Startups Office.
“Through the research center, we will develop the next-generation baking yeasts, and thus further solidify the technological basis for the globalization of K-food,” said Seo Jin-ho, head of SPC Research Institute of Food and Bio Technology. “Based on the ESG management philosophy, we will build a close industry – academy cooperation system and help Korea’s fermentation industry secure global competitiveness.”
“Based on the experiences and technological power to lead the discovery and commercialization of Nuruk-based indigenous seed microorganisms, SPC Group and KNU are expected to contribute significantly to the development of Korea’s fermentation industry,” said President Kim Heon-young of KNU. “We will provide every support so that New Yeast Frontier Center will establish itself as a research center equipped with international competitiveness.”
SPC Group and KNU have been putting the utmost effort into the project to discover indigenous microorganisms using all types of yeast. SPC Group established SPC Research Institute of Food and Bio Technology to conduct basic studies on microorganisms and food materials, etc. in 2005 and succeeded in discovering and commercializing indigenous yeast for baking using traditional Nuruk as the first in Korea in 2016. In February 2020, KNU, together with Chuncheon City, opened the Institute of Yeast Research to promote the project to discover superior seed varieties and provide technological support.
