"Korea is a manufacturing powerhouse, but the pet food industry's competitiveness has been weak. If Ourwha and the Pet Food Research Lab combine our data and technology, the quality competitiveness of K pet food will rise another level."
Choi Gwang-yong, CEO of Ourwha Co., said this on the 13th at the opening ceremony for "Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab." Ourwha Co., a pet healthcare corporations, held the launch and opening ceremony for "Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab" that day in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.
Located in the Magok Botanic Gate Knowledge Industry Complex, Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab is an independent research facility and a dedicated pet food lab staffed by 13 researchers with master's and doctoral-level expertise in companion animal nutrition. Through a total investment of 16 billion won, it is equipped with core pet food manufacturing facilities and the latest research, testing, and analysis equipment. Ourwha Co. said it has completed a research environment with professionalism and credibility.
Ourwha Co. was established in 2018 when the pet food division within Daehan Feed under Daehan Flour Mills was spun off. Since 2023, it has implemented an industry-first policy making the company responsible for the quality of all products. It has entered eight countries, including Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, achieving cumulative exports of about $6 million (about 8.8 billion won).
Ourwha Co. announced a goal to strengthen the international competitiveness of the pet food industry, which is highly dependent on overseas markets, and to enter the global market. Choi Gwang-yong, CEO of Ourwha Co., said, "A considerable amount of the pet food that companion animals eat in Korea still relies on overseas standards, technology, and data," and noted, "It does not sufficiently reflect the living environment of Korean companion animals, caregivers' raising methods, and dietary habits." Choi added, "Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab was created to break through these structural limitations with data."
Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab internalized the entire process from research and development to quality verification. It overcame the structural limitation of having to rely on external institutions for quality verification while conducting in-house research and development, and established a system to directly manage the entire pet food manufacturing process. Ourwha Co. said, "By reducing external dependence and advancing our in-house research capabilities, we have accelerated product development."
The lab consists of seven spaces: ▲Grinding & Mixing room ▲Pilot room ▲Sensory room ▲general composition analysis room ▲ICP room ▲GC/LC room ▲Chamber room. The environment, scaled down to replicate factory processes, stood out. It includes features seen in factories, such as conveyor belts, and a chamber room that recreates an export container environment for quality inspection.
Kim Hu-deok, head of Ourwha Pet Food Research Lab, said, "It is meaningful that we have built a research environment that meets global standards based on a standardized analysis system and systematic research infrastructure," and added, "By strengthening our in-house research capabilities, we will enhance the expertise of the domestic pet food industry and introduce innovative products that are competitive in the global market, providing value that satisfies both companion animals and caregivers."