Grant: Technology Access Centre

Okanagan College is establishing a British Columbia Beverage Technology Access Centre (BCBTAC) in Penticton, to serve the region's established and growing businesses in the wine, beer, cider, and spirits industries. The BCBTAC will develop limited-scale production facilities that provide proof-of-concept production of wine, beer, spirits, cider and other beverages as well as analytical laboratories (microbiology, chemistry, food quality and shelf-life, sensory analysis and consumer testing). The BCBTAC will provide a variety of services such as product development, product enhancement and market assessment services, from research to analysis and business consulting services (marketing, consumer behaviour, operations management and human resources) that will be available to more than 250 beverage related companies in the area from Revelstoke to Osoyoos. The TA C's immediate goal is to serve as a catalyst for the growth and sustainability of the beverage industries in the region and to be a portal to innovation, research and business expertise, drawing on Okanagan College's experience working with employers, the business community, industry associations and partner colleges and universities. In addition to providing technical and management advice for clients' innovation and technology projects on a cost recove1y basis, the BCB TAC will link clients with solution providers, researchers, and state-of-the art equipment. The activities of the TAC will be guided in part by a Central Advisory Board comprised of business, College and industry representatives.