Public-Private Partnership for Food Manufacturing Innovation... Launch of the 'K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance'

Promoting Innovation in Food Manufacturing and Strengthening Global Competitiveness

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has launched the 'K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance,' a public-private partnership manufacturing innovation council.

On June 10, the Ministry announced that it would hold the launch ceremony for the K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance at COEX in Seoul, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The launch event was held alongside the AI+ Smart Factory Show at COEX.

This alliance is a public-private collaboration platform aimed at strengthening the global competitiveness of K-Food. It brings together large and small food manufacturers, SMEs specializing in smart manufacturing technology, and specialized institutions. The event included presentations of corporate case studies and a declaration of the 'K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance Vision.'

Han Seong-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, Kim Jonggu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Kim Yongjae, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and representatives from participating companies such as CJ CheilJedang, Sempio Co., Ltd., and Impix declared the 'K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance Vision,' aiming to accelerate the food industry's AI transformation and strengthen global competitiveness.

The launch of this alliance is significant in that it moves beyond individual support for manufacturing companies to establish an integrated K-Food manufacturing standard model based on AI, covering demand, production, quality, and hygiene management. It is also the first private-sector-led collaborative platform to establish data and collaboration standards for the entire food industry. At the event, CJ OliveNetworks and Hakhwa 1934 shared their achievements in smart manufacturing innovation, drawing on their experiences with digital transformation.

As a key ministry driving K-Food manufacturing innovation, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will promote the dissemination of representative AI-based smart manufacturing models, build export-oriented smart factories, and establish and standardize manufacturing data utilization. The Ministry also plans to support the spread of manufacturing AX (AI transformation) among small and medium-sized food manufacturers and foster a manufacturing AI ecosystem.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will work to improve efficiency across the entire food industry value chain, from the production of raw agricultural and livestock products to distribution, food service, and consumption. Through the expansion of AX and the standardization of manufacturing data, the Ministry aims to increase K-Food exports and plans to broaden the alliance to include more companies in food tech, traditional foods, and regional SMEs.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will support the rapid registration of Smart HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) to promote the digital transformation of food safety management. It will also expand data-driven quality management at health functional food manufacturing sites by providing technical support for the implementation of Smart GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices for health functional foods). The Ministry will further assist in establishing automated production information systems in food manufacturing plants through Food QR.

Han Seong-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, stated, "Today, the public and private sectors are launching the K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance to create a synergy between K-Food's global leap forward and smart manufacturing innovation. The government will actively support the AI-based smart manufacturing innovation model for the food industry and, based on this, will work to accelerate AI adoption across Korea's manufacturing industries, including beauty and fashion."

Kim Jonggu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Through the launch of this alliance, we will focus on nurturing food tech, which is essential for AX (AI transformation) in food smart manufacturing and distribution and food robotics, and will rapidly spread various advanced technologies utilizing AI."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.