In Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, there is an enterprise called ‘Happy-More’ that wants to realize the ‘value of coexistence and happiness’. This is a joint collaboration project of SK Hynix and SPC Group aimed at specially-abled people.
In October, 2020, SPC Samlip, SPC Happy Foundation, SK Hynix, Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities and Happy-More came together to sign an MOU for creating employment for specially-abled people. Hereafter, Happy-More is aiding factory setup consultation, know-hows of bakery and helping in production of items.
As of now, there are roughly 200 specially-abled people working for Happy-More; furthermore, the bread produced by Happy-More is being distributed to the factory workers of SK Hynix as snacks and it is receiving positive responses from workers as a high quality and savory snack.
In August, 23, 2022, SPC Happy Foundation and Paris Croissant’s lecturer, Sook-yeon Kim, visited Happy-More. She completely renewed the coffee machine which was used for barista training at SPC Group and donated it to the “Sarang Bbang” café at Happy-More. Through the “barista special lecture”, she taught the coffee making process and know-hows of using the coffee machine and operating it. Meet the special barista lecture room, which was full of passion of the specially-abled workers grooming their dreams at Happy-More.
Happy-More, SPC group’s initiative to provide a dream workplace to specially-abled workers
The view of the specially-abled people’s confectionary workshop in Icheon
There’s a deep connection between SPC Group and Happy-Moa. After the beginning of the MOU in October, 2020, from the end of 2021, the food company, SPC Samlip, has been offering technical support like food management, goods development and recipe education etc. twice in a week. Happy-More is the perfect example of implementation of ‘power of unity’ and not the lone effort of one person. We met with SPC Samlip’s head of the department, Eung-seok Jeong, deputy head of the department of SPC Happy Foundation, Hyeon-ju Go, and Ga-yeon Du of management team of Happy-More, and last but not least, we met Hye-won Seong of production team of Happy-More.
SPC Samlip Interview
Eung-seok Jeong, Department Head at SPC Samlip
Q. Can You Please Introduce Yourself.
Hi, I’m Eung-seok Jeong, head of department of SPC Samlip.
Q. What Kind of Responsibilities Are You Handling at Happy-More?
I’m responsible for consulting services like distribution of responsibilities, method of operation and technical support etc. As of now, I have been providing help in terms of technical training and operation since last December.
Q. Do You Have Any Success Stories to Share?
Originally, we mass-produced various products of different companies, but after the launch of Happy-More (Happiness bread), we deliver breads on the same day as the day of production.
Due to high satisfaction regarding the instant bread among the employees of SK Hynix, the sales of the bread have increased. Even people who had suspicions about its quality changed their minds after tasting our breads.
Different kinds of breads baked at Happy-More (source: SK Hynix)
Q. What Plans Do You Have for Recipe Development and Technical Guidance?
We are independently creating our own recipes, and through the surveys conducted by external sources, we select and develop products that have high market value. In case of skill training, I regularly give training. Since, there is high level of satisfaction among workers regarding training, I would like to train them with the help of a more organized curriculum.
Q. What Part of Your Work Makes You Feel Most Rewarded?
Watching workers smile even during the arduous task of baking, makes me feel genuinely rewarded. I can feel the real happiness of Happy bread when the employees of SK Hynix appreciate our products.
Q. What Are Your Future Plans?
Happy-More Inc. wants to be an ideal example of supporting self-reliance for specially-abled people. Since, we are receiving a lot of attention from conglomerates and Society of Persons with Physical disabilities, our goal is to support our workers to increase their work efficiency and be a positive influence on other businesses.
SPC Happiness Foundation Interview
Hyeon-ju Go, Deputy head of department, SPC Happy Foundation
Q. Please introduce yourself
Hello, this is Hyeon-Joo Go, deputy director of the SPC Happy Foundation. I am doing social contribution work for SPC Group.
Q. What Is the Purpose of Collaboration of Happiness Foundation with Happy-More?
SPC Group established SPC Happiness Foundation in 2011, and is conducting a project of passing down the technical skills to specially-abled people. Through Soul Bakery and Happy Bakery & Café, we have held barista training and bakery lessons. We aided Happy-More with our forte i.e., baking skills. We proceeded with this collaboration project to demonstrate that even specially-abled people are capable of baking equally high-quality goods.
Q. What Has Been the Outcome of This Initiative?
SPC Samlip started the skill training in confectionary and began production of products in December last year. The number of specially-abled workers tremendously exceeded 200 people.
Q. What Is the Reason You Decided to Be a Barista Trainer?
Bread is an inevitable part of coffee culture. Together with Happy-More, we wished that our specially-abled workers could enjoy the coffee and bread culture more. SPC Group possess the best knowledge when it comes to coffee and bread; hence we wanted to support the dream of our workers as baristas leading me to conduct barista classes.
Barista lecture in progress at Happy-More on 23rd of last month
Q. What Kind of Education or Welfare Programs Are You Conducting for the Specially-Abled Employees?
In order to create more educational opportunities for workers in workshops and related facilities with whom we are collaborating, we continue to create talent service programs with internal professional personnel. During this barista lecture, the trainer taught us everything about the coffee machine from a scratch; overhauling the machine, disassembling it one by one, repairing it, servicing it, and lastly donating it. We are continuously making efforts so that our employees can enjoy the coffee culture to the fullest.
Happy-More Business Team interview
Ga-yeon Du, TL, Happy-More Business Team
Q. Please introduce yourself.
Hello. My name is Ga-yeon Du, TL who works in the management support team of Happy More Inc.
Q. What Are Your Job Responsibilities?
I’m working as a social worker in Happy-More Inc. I counsel the workers on any problems they have at work, provide them easy-to-grasp education or help them with welfare activities like club activities.
Q. What Has Been the Outcome of Collaboration with SPC Group (SPC Samlip, Happy Volunteer Foundation)?
Currently, SPC Samlip is sending us dough blended according tour recipe. The quality of the product is so good that our client, SK Hynix’s employees are extremely satisfied with the products, so, I think that the collaboration is paying off. Plus, the support with espresso machine will help our employees get familiar with different set of skills.
Q. What Is the Hiring Process for Specially-Abled Employees?
Specially-abled persons apply for jobs in Happy-More through Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities and are finally recruited after the interview. Hereafter, they are given job training after which they are ready to officially work at Happy-More.
Q. What Is the Most Rewarding Moment as a Manager?
I feel proud when members work hard and do well without difficulties and when they show that conflicts or problems are resolved through interviews.
Q. What Are the Future Aspirations of Happy-More?
The motive of our organization is to support self-reliance of specially-abled people. We are supporting them in a way so that they don’t feel any different from other people financially, socially or in any other way.
We are also providing them with various kinds of educations such as financial, interpersonal skills, and sex education etc. As a result, the goal is to be able to work as a member of society by getting a job in a related field even if it is self-reliant through Happy-More.
Q. How Is the Response of Employees of SK Hynix Regarding the Goods from Specially-Abled People?
The products are delicious and quality of the products is excellent due to the amount of effort we put into our ingredients, making them highly popular among the employees. Our product development team is preparing to launch a new product this month indicating that the popularity of our products will keep getting popular.
Special Barista class student interview
Hye-won Seong, Bread molding Team, Production team of Happy-More
Q.Please Introduce Yourself
Hello, I’m 24-year-old, Hye-won Seong.
Q. What Are Your Job Responsibilities?
I am working for bread molding team responsible for molding the bread into pretty shapes and handing it over to Oven Team. I am most confident about potato baguette and corn bread.
Q. What Is Your Reason Behind Deciding to Work?
I initially applied because I wanted to communicate and have a sense of community with my colleagues. I had heard that Happy-More provides skill support and skill certifications etc. for self-sufficiency, so, I decided to work to fulfill my dream of starting a business.
Specially-abled workers making various products at the factory (Source: SK Hynix)
Q.What Was Your Most Favorite Part of Barista Lectures?
I took a lot of barista lectures. Every trainer had their own style of teaching. In the lecture conducted by SPC Group today; the lecturer taught us the process of steaming during making of latte which helped me suffice my curiosity.
Q. What Are Your Future Dreams and Plans?
I want to open a coffee shop with bakery products based on my experience at Happy-More. As of now, I also hold a barista license. Happy-more provides support for obtaining various certificates, so I will try to acquire as many required certificates as possible to open my own business.
Group photo of the barista special lecture held at Happy-More on the 23rd
So far, we met the hidden heroes of Happy-More. SPC Group will continue its efforts to create synergies between the CSV business that creates social value and ESG that contributes to the environment. We ask for your continued interest and love for Happy-More Bakery Workshop, which will create a virtuous cycle by helping disabled members become independent.
