Ottogi Opens 'Ham Tae-ho Hall' Reflecting Founder’s Management Philosophy

View of 'Ham Tae-ho Hall' established at Ottogi's Anyang Plant in Gyeonggi Province [Photo=Ottogi]

Ottogi has inaugurated 'Ham Tae-ho Hall,' a cultural space that embodies the management philosophy of its late founder, Ham Tae-ho, and the history of South Korean food culture.

The opening ceremony took place on June 15 at Ottogi's Anyang Plant in Gyeonggi Province, attended by Chairman Ham Young-jun, President Hwang Seong-man, and over 200 current and former employees.

Ham Tae-ho Hall is a heritage space designed to honor the life and management philosophy of the founder while showcasing Ottogi's history and brand assets. It was constructed using the framework of the Anyang Plant, which was completed in 1972 and produced powdered curry and soup until 2009.

Spanning 8,700 square meters across two basement levels and five above-ground floors, Ham Tae-ho Hall focuses on modern reinterpretations of the old factory's image. The triangular roof reflects the appearance of the former plant, while the exterior mesh panels feature Ottogi's signature color, 'Ottogi Yellow,' to convey the company's identity.

The interior is designed to allow visitors to experience the founder's life and philosophy, Ottogi's growth, and food culture content. The first floor includes 'O-Mart,' which sells Ottogi products, and 'Rolly Polly Ham Tae-ho Hall Branch,' which offers menu items featuring Ottogi products. The second floor houses a lounge, conference room, and food culture center.

Notably, the lounge preserves 11 columns from the 1975 expansion of the Anyang Plant, allowing visitors to feel the history of Ottogi's growth. The food culture center will house approximately 18,500 professional food-related books from Korea and abroad, aiming to promote healthy food culture values in the future.

The 'Ham Tae-ho Archive,' located on the third to fifth floors, serves as an exhibition and experience space connecting the life and management philosophy of Ham Tae-ho with Ottogi products, brands, and food culture content. Ottogi plans to showcase how the founding spirit of quality, trust, and improved dietary habits has continued through its products and brand today.

An Ottogi representative stated, "Ham Tae-ho Hall is a space created to reflect on the company's history and philosophy at the place where Ottogi first took root. We hope it becomes a meaningful heritage space for employees and visitors to share in Ottogi's beginnings and food culture."

Ham Tae-ho was the founder and first chairman of Ottogi. He established the company’s predecessor, Poonglim Sangsa, in 1969, introducing various products such as curry, soup, and mayonnaise, contributing to the development of the domestic food industry. His management philosophy of 'quality first' and 'improving the nation's dietary habits' helped grow Ottogi into a leading food company in South Korea.

* This article has been translated by AI.