Surrey will be a new Hub for agri-innovation

Through a new multi-level partnership, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will work alongside local organizations, post-secondary institutions and the City of Surrey to advance agricultural innovation.

The collaboration will support technology incubation, research projects and the development of an advanced health product and food processing business base in Surrey.

Partners involved in the project include Simon Fraser University (SFU), BCIT, University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), SMK Farms & Herbal Research Inc. and the B.C. Agriculture Centre of Excellence, in addition to the City of Surrey.

Raising awareness of opportunities across the region and fostering industry-academic partnerships are both key parts of the plan – goals that will build on KPU’s agricultural and sustainability work.

“Being involved with this strategic partnership will bring together the skills and resources of a number of our best post-secondary academic institutions, and focus on applied research in the vital area of feeding our increasingly urban population,” said Gary Jones, instructor with KPU’s School of Horticulture.

“With 53 per cent of the world’s population now living in cities, and land becoming less available, addressing this issue in a sustainable way is critical.”

AGRI-INNOVATION SIGNATURE PROJECTS

One such collaboration includes the Agri-Innovation Signature Projects, which will see the city working with KPU and other post-secondary institutions to develop ways of funding projects and ideas that will strengthen Surrey’s agriculture sector.

In particular, the signature projects will focus on engaging young people working in agriculture, and will seek new solutions to food security and sustainability issues.

Please visit   http://www.greenhousecanada.com/news/surrey-will-be-a-new-hub-for-ag-innovation-4339

SMK Group Chairman  and the University of the Fraser Valley, Mark Everett sign a MOU for joint research in progress for functional crops

SMK Group “SMK Group will become a company that contributes Korean-Canadian Society”

Photo Description: SMK Group (CRM) Chairman (right) and the University of the Fraser Valley, Mark Everett

This company has gained considerable attention from farming markets in the Greater Vancouver Area as the company produces functional organisms and showcases the various farming industries such as goat milk, yogurt production which has successfully infused vigor into the downhill trend of the Korean immigration economy.

Mr. KJ Kim at the SMK Group introduced this company. “The SMK Group, a Canadian investment company with over 10 years of experience, will start a new business that aims at exporting to Southeastern Asia by utilizing natural agricultural resources. The SMK Group has plans to deploy diversified businesses that are well-organized to develop and deliver the functional agricultural & livestock products such as herbal medicine, plants and animals as well as to commercialize these products. These new businesses will infuse vigor into a downturned Korean immigration economy”

The SMK Group has already signed an MOU in November of last year to conduct a joint research project with the Fraser Valley University (University of the Fraser Valley) on functional crops.

“The mountain goat milk that was developed jointly by the Rural Development Administration and Chungbuk National University in South Korea has healing properties targeted at diabetes and it also is extremely nutritious and contains more proteins as compared to regular milk which speeds up the digestion process. Additionally, those who are lactose intolerant can drink it without worrying. SMK will export enhanced Goat Milk to Southeastern Asian markets by removing the burnt and fishy smell” Mr. Kim explained.

Finally, Mr. Kim said, “I have been living in Canada for 43 years. I am homesick for Korea want to live while experiencing communion with Korean immigrants. Therefore, I have a plan to set up a stand-alone community village (Micro-village) to live together with retired Koreans who share the same desires. I especially want to reproduce the traditional folk cuisine and theatre culture during the 1950s-60s of Korea. I want to set up a small, self-sufficient rural village and live there, witnessing neighbors helping neighbors.”

Vancouver Joongang ilbo – Hyunjoo Cho : sophy228@joongang.ca

Article URL: http://www.joongang.ca/bbs/board.php?bo_table=g100t200&wr_id=2476

Canadian Firm inks Deal to Invest in Foodpolis

An innovative Canadian food company seeks to make its mark in Korea at FOODPOLIS, as its Korean-Canadian founder makes his own personal return to the Korean peninsula as a highly successful businessman. And he’s dreaming big, with a large investment and a plan to parlay his company’s past R&D success into a win on the functional food scene.

SMK Group of Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korea National Food Cluster on July 11, pledging to invest $5 million to build a functional food plant and R&D center in the industrial complex in Iksan City.

“Now as I’m back in Korea locating in the food cluster, which would be similar toSilicon Valley in IT industries, my dream is to develop a fermented functional sauce,” said K.J. Kim (Kyong Jung Kim), CEO and president of SMK Group, during the MOU signing in Seoul. SMK Farm and Herbal Research Center, an SMK subsidiary that launched in 2008, has been doing research into the incubation of functional crops. According to Kim, there is a growing interest in Canada and across North America as a whole regarding fermented foods, and Korea has strong recognition for its advanced capabilities in this area. Kim also talked about the opportunityto utilize South Korea’s technology and talent, saying that his company aims to continue to advance in the area of functional foods and potentially look at market expansion into China, using FOODPOLIS as its initial toehold in the region.

Kim was born in South Korea and moved to Canada in 1968 at the age of 18 to study electrical engineering. Since then, he has started and bought numerous businesses including Seycove Marina and Capilano Village Shopping Plaza in North Vancouver, and Heritage Valley Resort, a corporate retreat in Sumas Mountain, Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Kim said he has a passion for improving the quality of life for retiring seniors and wants to create a sustainable retirement “Micro Village” in the form of an agricultural co-operative

http://foodpolis.kr/download/foodpolis/foodpolis_8.pdf

Page 35-36

SMK Farm & Herbal Research are working with FDC in developing a Health Beverage

About The Food Development Centre

The Food Development Centre can help steer a product through every stage of development, from initial research through product testing and scale-up, to marketing. Our scientists and food engineers can help you achieve high standards of food safety, quality and efficiency as you develop and modify products. The Food Development Centre can help you evaluate the consumer appeal and safety of your product using trained professionals and unbiased panelists.

You have the ideas and opportunities. We have the equipment, expertise and industry links to turn those ideas into success stories. Together, we can transform your food product ideas into market winners. It all begins at the Food Development Centre your one-stop location for innovative research and food product development.

Representatives from Canadian SMK Group Visited Conseco Seabuckathorn Co., Ltd in Ordos, China

Visit to Conseco Seabuckthorn Co., Ltd. in Ordos Talk between Conseco Seabuckthorn Co., Ltd. Canadian SMK Corporation The representatives from Canadian SMK Investment Corporation, accompanied by the relevant responsible persons from ISA Secretariat came to visit Conseco Seabuckthorn Co., Ltd. in Erdos, Inner Mongolia, China on December 8th to 11th 2010. Mr. Gu Yukai, General manager of Conseco Seabuckthorn Co., Ltd. showed them around to seabuckthorn growing bases, nurseries and processing factories. Mr. K. J. Kim, the president of SMK Investment Corporation in Canada showed great interest in the seabuckthorn industries in China.