Located adjacent to Molson Coors’ Fraser Valley Brewery, the site will facilitate field trials of hop varieties developed through the B.C. hop variety development program, led by KPU’s Applied Genomics Centre (AGC) since 2019 in partnership with the BC Hop Growers Association and its members. It will also serve as a living library of genetically diverse hop plants and a dedicated space to advance applied research, supporting B.C.’s hop growers while providing students with hands-on learning opportunities.

“We’re excited to work with Molson Coors in supporting local farmers through this multi-year project,” said Paul Adams, PhD, director of KPU’s Applied Genomics Centre. “Partnerships like this really illustrate how cutting-edge research and innovation can address industry challenges and meet the needs of our local communities.”

Over the past year, researchers and students have been establishing the hop yard from the ground up, from prepping the field to planting the first experimental varieties developed at the AGC. Beyond testing new hop varieties, the field will also serve as a space to research best irrigation practices and more.

“Hops are a critical ingredient in brewing, and the Fraser Valley remains one of the country’s most important hop-growing regions,” said Graham Kendall, general manager, Molson Coors Fraser Valley Brewery. “We’re excited to partner with KPU on this initiative to support applied research and innovation while strengthening connections with local growers and providing students with hands-on experience that will help shape the future of agriculture and brewing in B.C. and beyond.”

“This project gives us a dedicated research field where we can grow things outside of the commercial scope and explore challenges that growers are facing in order make better-informed breeding decisions,” said AGC researcher Mathias Schuetz, PhD, who is leading the project.

Hops, which are the female flowers of the plant species Humulus lupulus, are used to provide flavour and aromas to beer while also functioning as a natural preservative. The Fraser Valley has a longstanding history of hop production, once having ranked as the largest hop-growing region in the Commonwealth in the 1940s. Using state-of-the-art DNA analysis and chemical techniques, KPU researchers are helping local hop production thrive again by creating new, climate-resilient varieties.

“We’re crossing different plants to create varieties with desirable traits, which we are then planting and evaluating in the field,” said Schuetz. “The idea is to create something that is resilient against heat and drought, while also being profitable and desirable for brewing.”

Hops research fueling hands-on opportunities for students

The hop yard also serves as a living classroom, with KPU students from multiple disciplines – including horticulture, biology and brewing – gaining hands-on experience each step of the way.

“I do a mixture of lab work and field work, which includes prepping the field, managing the irrigation system and collecting data on new varieties we’re trying out,” said Spencer LePage, an AGC student research assistant and third-year horticulture student at KPU. “I’ve had a really great experience so far, and feel like this work really helps bridge that gap between just learning about concepts in classes and actually doing them in real life.”

At the same time, KPU Brewing and Brewery Operations students are helping test how new varieties perform by transforming experimental hops into small-batch beers, one of which was served at the unveiling.

Supported by Genome BC and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the AGC is Canada’s first and only Technology Access Centre focused on applied genomics, and is nationally unique in its focus on serving the agriculture sector through direct, hands-on research support.

Today, in Western Canada, B.C.’s Bullseye Packaging Services targets that same notion: using the physicality and skill of well-trained staff complemented by machinery, generating the best of both worlds to obtain speed, attention to detail and quality results.

Bullseye began in a small Kelowna warehouse before moving to a warehouse in Chilliwack to support one of their largest, multi-national clients. With over 20 years of ongoing mix pack assembly for the North American alcohol industry, and shrink and bundle wrapping for the alcohol and no-alcohol beverage industry, “Bullseye has always followed Good Manufacturing Processes as they relate to secondary packing, and maintains all necessary licensing and rigorous pest control,” said Adrian Houser, director of operations.

A couple of years after opening their B.C. facility, Bullseye again expanded to Calgary, Alta., where another large client needed support. Obtaining the necessary licensing to work with liquor packs in Alberta was no easy feat. However, Bullseye president Stephen Peters made history by obtaining the first non-manufacturer of alcoholic products in Alberta to acquire a Class E AGLC license for handling liquor products. This kind of resilience continues to forge the Bullseye “can-do” culture.

Flexible and sensible

With the proliferation of craft breweries and specialty RTDs, Bullseye has responded to the need for flexibility. They offer practical strategies for beverage brands of all sizes to improve shelf presence. “Bullseye had enjoyed the benefit of long-term partnerships with all of the major breweries since our doors first opened,” said Houser. The liquor market has witnessed the expansion of beer flavours, low or non-alcoholic offerings, RTDs and so much more in between.

An average of over one million mix packs gets assembled annually for the big players, but Bullseye knows all brands need to start somewhere. This is why we happily invite craft brewers and new-to-market beverage brands to lean on us to process the mix pack assembly of smaller orders, too.

Eira Braun-Labossiere, Bullseye Packaging Services

“It makes no difference to us,” said Eira Braun-Labossiere, customer care leader. “Give us your product, your packaging and your preferences, and we will expertly transform those components into beautiful finished goods you will be proud to sell on [the] shelf. An average of over one million mix packs gets assembled annually for the big players, but Bullseye knows all brands need to start somewhere. This is why we happily invite craft brewers and new-to-market beverage brands to lean on us to process the mix pack assembly of smaller orders, too.”

The advantages of collaboration

While a manufacturer’s instinct may be to keep their repacking in-house, a cost study will likely show that collaborating with a trusted co-packer will save the brand money. There are many reasons why manufacturers choose to collaborate with Bullseye:

• Cost and convenience – Clients reduce high upfront costs by eliminating the need to spend money on researching and purchasing equipment; buying or leasing more warehouse space; hiring, training and managing more of their own staff and the administration going into all of the above.
• Expertise – Bullseye frees its clients from having to determine how to arrange the most efficient production line, then train and manage staff accordingly. Instead, clients take advantage of Bullseye’s experienced assembly team so they may focus instead on their own core strengths like manufacturing, marketing, etc.
• Damage reduction – It’s in the best interest of a co-packer to put high-quality control practices in place. Bullseye prioritizes the detection of any incoming product damage, as well as any printing issues or inconsistencies spotted on the product or carton and flags it for customers.

Specialty packs galore

Seasonal packs or special promo packs mean flexibility and, like a longbowman, Bullseye has the muscle memory to be flexible with strength. Clients rely on Bullseye to adapt to new initiatives ranging from incorporating a gift with purchase into packing, creating a two-pack inside of a mother carton or packing cans into assigned spaces for calendar count down trial packs.

Bullseye’s Chilliwack facility installed a tray former and bundle wrapper for efficiently shrink-wrapping single SKU or mix packs. Regulatory requirements vary from province to province, so clear wrap may be mandatory or optional. Bundling with printed film that clients supply gives the option for extra brand exposure.

The “let’s do this together” approach

Growth of beverage options cultivates competition; brands must strategize their promotions to gain attention. That’s why variety packs are such a popular marketing option. However, there are ever more channels of promotional sales, including online beverage-branded merchandise sales. Bullseye widens its service menu to accommodate its partnerships further. Through the broadened service offerings of fast and accurate eCommerce order fulfillment and B2B wholesale fulfillment for low and no-alcohol clients, Bullseye continuously demonstrates its commitment to sales support.

Another example of adaptation for all client sizes is through their significantly upgraded warehouse management software. The enhanced system supports Bullseye’s order processing and helps to manage all inventory with even greater transparency. Bullseye adopts the mantra of “adaptability and flexibility.” Co-packing is a niche service meant to adjust to client needs, to facilitate an efficient path to market. Bullseye’s processes are proactive and solutions driven.

With a combination of hard work honed by decades of experience and consistently updated technological efficiencies, Bullseye is poised for another 20 years and beyond.