Naju Pear Kombucha, Gangjin Rice Makgeolli, and Haenam Rice Ice Cream
Jeollanam-do announced on the 11th that three companies from the province were selected for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' 2025 Rural Innovation Idea Model Expansion Project, marking the highest number nationwide.
This year’s new public offering project, the 'Rural Innovation Idea Model Expansion Project,' provides follow-up startup funding to business owners who have launched startups in rural areas after completing the Seoul Metropolitan Government's region-linked youth startup support program (Next Local).
As leading business models utilizing rural resources such as agricultural products and culture from the Jeonnam region, Teazen (Naju), ABBF Co., Ltd. (Gangjin-gun), and SUSTAINABLE Co., Ltd. (Haenam-gun) were selected.
Teazen has completed the development of a functional Naju pear kombucha product using Naju’s signature specialty pear and domestic precision fermentation technology, and is currently working on brand development.
SUSTAINABLE Co., Ltd. is currently selling a plant-based K-vegan ice cream, nicekekki, made with Haenam rice (surplus rice, Heenari variety) instead of dairy products.
ABBF Co., Ltd. developed and launched Koreanwhite, a Makgeolli made from Gangjin rice (Saechungmu) in 2021, and is operating a brewery remodeled from an abandoned warehouse in Byeongyeong-myeon, Gangjin.
Commercialization funds of 100 million KRW per company will be provided for purchasing materials, machinery and equipment, facility remodeling, branding, and marketing.
Park Sangmi, head of the Agricultural Food Distribution Division of Jeonnam Province, said, "We will foster the agri-food industry and contribute to the development of the local community through various support projects in the agri-food sector, such as increasing the added value of rural resources by utilizing Jeonnam’s representative agricultural products."
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