Noah Yongno Yoon spent years as a management consultant in South Korea, but one question kept pulling at him: could a business actually be built around doing right by people and the land? Not just claim to, but actually do it?
“I believe that caring for nature and community must be embedded directly into a for-profit business model to create true sustainability.” Noah says.
After the pandemic, he moved to BC, trained at UBC Farm, and took on the role of farm manager at Richmond Gaia Farm, where regenerative agriculture is his daily practice. It was there that the idea took shape. He and three partners co-founded Gimjang Kimchi to find out if the answer was yes. “It’s our project to prove that these ideas can actually work as a business.”
It Starts With a Tradition
Gimjang (also spelled Kimjang) is the Korean tradition of making kimchi together, as a community. It’s recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and for Noah, it stands for something bigger than a recipe. “The preparation moves in harmony with nature, the making and sharing is fundamentally communal, and the final product is full of good bacteria that keeps you healthy.”
Most kimchi sold today has lost that spirit. It’s imported, grown with pesticides, and disconnected from the people and land around you. “When we buy it, food dollars leave our community and we lose that sense of connection.” Gimjang Kimchi sources from local farmers instead, and makes kimchi here. “For us, bringing the Gimjang spirit into our community doesn’t mean importing ‘Made in Korea kimchi.'”
The Honest Challenge
Making kimchi the right way costs more. Local, naturally grown ingredients aren’t cheap. Neither is labor in BC. And Gimjang Kimchi keeps a strict three-month shelf life to protect the flavor and live cultures, which makes most grocery stores a tough fit. “Mass brands favor products that last six months or more on a shelf. We’d rather give you something alive.”
What keeps them going? The reason they started. “Our mission is to replace pesticide-heavy imports with naturally grown, local ingredients that nourish both our community and our local soils.”
Finding the Gimjang Spirit in Vancouver
Noah came into this with a clear idea of what community means to him: people looking out for each other, connected by goodwill. But he’ll tell you that becoming a farmers’ market vendor made that idea real in a way it hadn’t been before.
“The farmers’ market is one of the absolute best venues to build genuine community. It shows exactly how a business can exist to bring people together rather than just extract profit.”
This Season
This is Gimjang Kimchi’s first season at farmers’ markets. He’s looking to collaborate with local farms and independent grocers, and the wants to change how people think about kimchi. “Napa cabbage is the classic, but it’s far from the only option. We can’t wait to introduce more traditional and seasonal varieties this year.”
Find Gimjang Kimchi at UBC Farm Saturday Farmers’ Market or visit Richmond Gaia Farm directly. Local delivery runs to Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, and Delta through gimjangkimchi.com.