Jeju Center, Nongshim Select 2 Final Companies for Pet Industry Collaboration

## Jeju's Pristine Ingredients, an Innovation on Pet Dining Tables! Nongshim-Jeju Center, Joining Hands for Pet Food Development Special pet food infused with the essence of pristine Jeju is ready to grace pet dining tables. In an era where the pet population numbers 15.0 million, there is a fervent interest in healthy and delicious food for our precious family members. In line with this trend, the Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center (hereinafter referred to as Jeju Center) and Nongshim have joined hands to develop pet food utilizing the precious ingredients provided by Jeju's pristine nature. The "2025 Pet Industry Open Ground Program," which began last May, holds an ambitious aspiration to open new horizons in the pet industry, going beyond simple product development. Through this program, the Jeju Center and Nongshim plan to jointly develop pet food and related specialized services and products utilizing Jeju's excellent resources and local specialties, thus leading new trends in the pet industry. After fierce competition, two innovative startups have been selected as final partners. These are **'Bellabel Farm Co., Ltd.'** of the 'From Halla' brand, which will pioneer a new frontier of non-meat pet food using surplus agricultural and marine products from Jeju, and **'NNBE'**, which will be responsible for content creation and marketing to effectively convey the appeal of Jeju-ingredient-based pet food. These partners will work closely with Nongshim's Banlyeodaum Team until December to bring premium pet food, embodying the taste and nutrition of Jeju, to fruition. This collaboration is a 'win-win' strategy that goes beyond simple joint development, with expectations for purchase contract agreements and even expansion into global markets, depending on successful outcomes. To actively support the scale-up of the selected companies, the Jeju Center will spare no effort in providing comprehensive support, including 10 million won in PoC (Proof of Concept) funding, customized accelerating programs for each growth stage, opportunities for overseas market development, and consideration of investment linkages. Through this collaboration, the Jeju Center and Nongshim plan to discover promising startups, support their growth, and lead innovation in the sustainable pet industry and the creation of new business opportunities. It is widely anticipated that the healthy energy generated by Jeju's pristine nature will enrich the lives of companion animals and, furthermore, become a crucial turning point in illuminating the future of the pet industry.