[Gu Eun-mo's Sajeori] Yang Sook-hee, CEO of Sihyangga: "May I Have No Shame When Looking Up at the Land"

<15> Jeonnam Gokseong 'Sihyangga'②

Providing distiller's grains as compost and feed to contract farmers
Packaging designed for easy separation of glass bottles, cans, and shrink films
New smart factory opening within the year... Export activities to be intensified

"I hope there will be no shame in the soil."

Yang Sook-hee, CEO of Sihyangga

Yang Sook-hee, CEO of Sihyangga, emphasized in an interview with Asia Economy on the 10th that she does not want to conduct business by harming nature, and is striving to carry out all processes, including brewing and distribution, in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

She does not waste even a single piece of distiller's lees that inevitably occurs during the brewing process. She believes that healthy crops must be cultivated on healthy soil, and only with quality crops can quality alcohol be brewed, aiming to establish a virtuous cycle with nature.

CEO Yang explained, "If distiller's lees are buried underground together with rice straw and fermented, they become natural fertilizer and compost," adding, "We provide them to contract farming households growing taro, melon, cherries, and more." Since distiller's lees are fermentation products of rice, nuruk, and taro, after removing alcohol, they are also provided as feed to local Gokseong Hanwoo cattle farms.

She also pays attention to packaging. Sihyangga currently uses glass bottles and aluminum cans for all product containers, which are easy to separate and recycle. The labels also use shrink films that can be separated and recycled on both glass bottle and can products.

CEO Yang said, "Although Sihyangga initially started with plastic bottles out of necessity, we recently switched entirely to glass bottles," adding, "We are sensitive to environmental issues by reducing excessive packaging and using eco-friendly materials as simply as possible."

Additionally, near the brewery, they have installed 'recycling automatic collection machines' where locals can deposit PET bottles and cans for cash, encouraging active participation from the community.

Toran Makgeolli "Mal-iya Makgeolliya" released in 200ml cans and 3L tap forms

Although a small brewery that started in a local area, Sihyangga is dreaming bigger and bigger. They plan to target overseas markets starting this year. CEO Yang said, "We plan to install sterilization facilities soon and expand exports from nearby Japan to Hong Kong, the UK, and more," adding, "The application of crown caps on glass bottle products was also with export in mind." She explained that even if takju (traditional Korean rice wine) is fully fermented, plastic caps risk bursting due to external factors like temperature, so this is a safety measure.

They are also aiming to open a new factory within the year. CEO Yang explained, "We purchased a 1,400-pyeong (approx. 4,620 m²) site nearby and are preparing a 110-pyeong (approx. 363 m²) smart factory," adding, "We plan to increase automation with low-temperature storage and various smart facilities." The remaining space will be developed into an area where visitors can enjoy brewing experiences and camping together. She said, "We plan to create a healing space where people can brew Makgeolli together and stay at the campsite."

She also expressed her hope that Sihyangga will grow into a company that contributes to the local community. Sihyangga is currently a preliminary social enterprise aiming for certification within the year. It is a company that establishes and operates a business model that realizes social value while generating profits, pursuing profit while seeking to realize communal values.

CEO Yang said, "I did not start with the mindset of just living well alone," adding, "I want to remain a brewery that can solve the concerns of local farmers and spread good fragrance throughout the community."