Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

TBA Beverage Co. (TBA) is a company based in Vancouver B.C. that specializes in the development of trend setting beverages. They produce many types of beverages including Beer, Ready-To-Drink Beverages, Cider, Wine, Seltzers, Teas, Sodas, and Waters. In 2016, the fermentation products market was valued at $150M and is expected to reach $205M by 2023. The global fermented foods market is primarily driven by the consumer's rising health consciousness and changes in dietary patterns to curb down physical ailments. Consumption of fermented foods and beverages helps in improving the digestive system by maintaining a proper balance of bacteria. The addition of healthy foods in consumer's diet can get expensive, but the inclusion of fermented foods in diets provides budget-friendly options for consumers. With a long line of products that utilize the process of fermentation, TBA is seeking to capture, propagate and utilize naturally occurring alcohol tolerant yeast that have the potential to be used for various food products such as Beer, Wine, Cider, Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Kimchi and all other fermented goods across the food manufacturing industry. To take advantage of these new opportunities, TBA seeks to partner with Okanagan College (OC) to select environmental samples and grow them on yeast-selective medium and isolates. Scientific testing will determine their ability to grow in the presence of ethanol, a quality necessary for brewing organisms. These organisms will be identified by DNA sequencing and subject to small scale brewing experiments and analyzed for desirable and undesirable flavor compounds by head space gas chromatography. Findings from these projects will benefit the company by providing insights into new and innovative products that will contribute to the company's growth into new markets.