Korea Ginseng Corporation establishes R&D center in California

The Korea Ginseng Corporation's CEO Heo Cheol-ho, second from left, claps with the employees of its newly-opened research and development center in California on March 11. [KGC]

The Korea Ginseng Corporation, KT&G’s ginseng affiliate, established a research and development center in Fullerton, California, with the aim to continuously invest in overseas for the advancement of localized products.

The R&D center consists of three teams for production, development and support so that the company can care for the quality of its locally produced products as well as develop new brands.

The center aims to take on clinical research on ginseng’s effectiveness in increasing immunity, relieving fatigue and inhibiting platelet aggregation. It will also compile information on the American market to develop localized health functional products.

“The U.S. R&D center will contribute to building infrastructure for a localized manufacturing line as well as strengthening development for localized products,” said the ginseng plant’s CEO Heo Cheol-ho as he visited the center for the opening ceremony on March 11.

KT&G’s ginseng plant established a venture overseas in California in 2003. It’s diversifying its brand portfolio to expand on its products from candies, capsules and tablets to suit the tastes of local consumers.

It also recently signed a partnership deal with state-run China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharmaceutical, to expand to the Chinese market with health functional products earlier this month.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]