Launching the Next Generation of Food Innovators
CEO of Dan-D Foods Ltd.
As a successful entrepreneur, Dan On, CEO of food manufacturer Dan-D Foods Ltd., is now at a place where he can empower other like-minded businesses.
While meeting with UBC scientists to discuss research collaborations, he became inspired by something else: an opportunity to fill a gap in the province by supporting producers, and food and beverage entrepreneurs who are brimming with new product ideas—people just like himself 35 years ago.
It didn’t take long for On to make a generous $7-million donation through the Dan On Foundation to launch the Dan On Food and Beverage Innovation Centre—set to open fully early next year—B.C.’s first innovation hub devoted to supporting agrifood entrepreneurs by providing access to state-of-the-art technologies and food science expertise. The centre will also facilitate research partnerships between industry, growers and government, and provide flexible training tailored to those working in the food industry.
On’s early meetings with Professor Anubhav Pratap-Singh centred around research and development, including new food packaging options for Dan-D Foods, before On was convinced he wanted to make the largest-ever donation to the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Dr. Pratap-Singh, who holds the Food and Beverage Innovation Professorship, is the inaugural director of the Dan On Food and Beverage Innovation Centre (FBIC).
“I’m so grateful, happy to connect with UBC,” said Mr. On. His gift will create opportunities for LFS students to be trained as the next generation of talent to work with local food companies. It will also attract top scientists from around the world to collaborate with our faculty members on innovative projects.
On says B.C. grows high quality produce. Sparked by the immense potential of turning this produce into new food, health and medicinal products, On would like to see more processing take place locally. “Farmers should have no need to ship their blueberries to the United States to make juice, and they don’t need to send cranberries to the U.S. to make cranberry sauce, and then bring the product back.”
On readily tells people that his success was earned through hard work from his humble beginnings, saying he was ‘hand to mouth’ when he started out.
He arrived from Vietnam at the age of 18 as a boat refugee and was adopted by Port Coquitlam’s Irene and George Kavanagh, who ran a food company. They helped him learn to speak English and adjust to Canadian life, but for Mr. On, settling into Canada took a few years: he was mostly homesick, often writing letters to his birth mother back in Vietnam.
He started from the ground up in the food business—including mopping floors as a janitor in his parent’s food company and driving delivery vans. Eventually, he started working in restaurants.
On says the Kavanaghs are two of his business mentors. George provided sound advice and reinforced that the two foundations for any business are service and honesty to its customers and employees. He encouraged On to launch his own company in 1989 after living in Canada for 10 years— Dan-D Foods Ltd. in Coquitlam—to supply small retailers with quality nuts and dried fruits. Ten years later, On moved Dan-D Foods to its current headquarters in Richmond.
Still headquartered in B.C. today, Dan-D Foods Ltd. now operates in six countries and has 800 employees worldwide. His company grows fruits and nuts in California and Asia, manufactures fruit, nut and grain products, and even makes its own packaging.
He says that relationships were important to his success. In addition to the Kavanaghs, he mentions others who supported him in the early days.
One person was Alex Campbell from Thrifty Foods. Campbell, who passed in 2011, co-founded Thrifty Foods on Vancouver Island in the late 1970s. He asked On to stock his stores on Vancouver Island with bulk nuts and dried fruits, and as Thrifty Foods expanded, so did Dan-D Foods’ market.
“Over the course of 25 years, we built together. He built 25 stores, 30 stores, and I became his strategic partner to grow his business and grow my business.”
“In my life I actually bumped into several good people, and they really helped me. Because of their integrity, it really inspired me.”
Today, On’s vision for the FBIC reflects these values: he believes that by supporting local businesses and nurturing new talent, B.C. can become a global leader in food innovation. He sees the FBIC as a place where entrepreneurs can access not just world-class technology, but mentorship, guidance, and the inspiration they need to succeed.
