The BC Beverage Technology Access Centre (BC BTAC) at Okanagan College, in partnership with the Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK) at RRC Polytech, has been recognized with a national innovation award for excellence in applied research and industry collaboration.
Karin Grosstessner-Hain (fifth from the right) at the 2025 TAC Innovate Awards.
The two Technology Access Centres (TACs) received the Most Impactful Interactive Visit Award at the 2025 TAC Innovate Awards hosted by Tech-Access Canada in Quebec City last month. The award recognizes BC BTAC and PRK's collaborative work with a Métis-owned microbrewery in Winnipeg, Manitoba, which sought to create a high-quality, non-alcoholic craft beer.
"This award highlights how well our Technology Access Centres have worked together with industry," said Karin Grosstessner-Hain, Manager of the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre. "Both teams demonstrated incredible adaptability, knowledge and impact in applied research. I'm proud of the value our TACs are bringing to the economy -- across provinces and sectors."
The collaboration delivered technical and strategic impact for the microbrewery, helping them move toward commercialization while expanding their internal research capacity. For BC BTAC and PRK, the project also created a replicable model for cross-TAC collaboration, integrating sensory, analytical and process expertise across regions.
"This national recognition underscores the strength of applied research at Okanagan College and the value of collaboration across Canada's Technology Access Centres," said Mary Butterfield, Director of Applied Research at Okanagan College. "By combining expertise across institutions, our teams are helping industry partners innovate and grow while creating meaningful applied learning opportunities for students."
The initiative also provided hands-on research experience for a RRC Polytech Life Sciences co-op student and strengthened BC BTAC's growing portfolio in non-alcoholic beverage research and development.
"Cross-provincial partnerships are essential for driving innovation and creating solutions for Canadian businesses on a local, national and international scale," said Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Executive Director, Research, Partnerships & Innovation at RRC Polytech. "By combining the complementary expertise of two TACs, we not only collaborated with a Métis-owned microbrewery to explore advanced dealcoholizing technologies but also created a replicable model for national collaboration. This project is an important example of how students bring new energy and ideas to the table while gaining hands-on research experience, expanding their learning through real-world projects."
Creating partnerships to support local businesses aligns with Okanagan College's mission to transform lives and communities. The College has several research projects underway designed to help communities and local businesses solve real-world problems.
"I want to congratulate everyone involved in this award, which acknowledges the strong work that went into supporting a local business through research and development," said Samantha Lenci, Vice President Academic at OC. "Okanagan College is here to work in partnership to find innovative solutions to real world problems."
To learn more about BC BTAC at Okanagan College, visit okanagancollege.ca/bcbtac.
