Busan City Launches 'Nopo×Hippo' Project to Grow Local F&B Brands

Busan City is officially launching a collaborative project to foster local food and beverage (F&B) small businesses.

On April 8, Busan City announced the implementation of the 'Beyond B-Star' initiative, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of local brands.

This project will be carried out in a collaborative format called 'Nopo×Hippo,' which connects traditional restaurants (Nopo) with brands that offer a trendy sensibility (Hippo).

Orientation for "Nopo and Hippo" held on March 31 in Busan as part of the F&B Entrepreneurial Small Business Advancement Support Project.

The project will feature participation from five longstanding establishments, such as the century-old Naeho Naengmyeon, Shinbalwon, and Deokhwa Myeongran, as well as ten hip brands, including Shunsaikubo, Tarakosoba, and Peopleworks.

Participating companies will work together on joint menu development, content creation, and pop-up operations. The model is designed for growth, going beyond short-term promotions to establish permanent operations and support overseas expansion.

The project will be managed by a private company with experience in local F&B projects, aiming to expand brand experiences and lay the groundwork for global reach. The city plans to combine tradition and creativity to enhance the competitiveness of the local food culture and build a sustainable growth structure.

Bongcheol Kim, Director of the Digital Economy Office of Busan City, emphasized, "We will expand the growth foundation for small businesses by linking Busan's food culture assets with new trends."

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