‘An accent is not weakness’: SA young business leader wins top gong
This year’s top 40 Under 40 Award winner has shared his journey from being a broke international student to one of the state’s leading food entrepreneurs.
An innovator in the supply of authentic Korean ingredients to South Australia has been awarded the prestigious First Among Equals Award at the annual 40 Under 40 Award dinner held at Adelaide Oval.
Danny (Hyungsup) Yoon first arrived in Australia from South Korea in 2011 as an international student, and has helped build Withus Global as the state’s premium Korean grocery wholesaler over the past 15 years.
As managing director at Withus Global, Yoon has provided SA’s Korean restaurants with consistent, low-cost and easy access to Korean ingredients that were once difficult to acquire in SA.
“Fifteen years ago, I arrived here with broken English and empty pockets. Tonight I’m standing here still with an accent, but an accent is not weakness – it is proof of courage,” Yoon said.
"Whatever holds you back, language or background or your own doubts, keep trying. And when success comes, share it with your community."
When accepting the First Among Equals Award, he thanked his wife, business partners, and family who travelled from South Korea to attend the ceremony.
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Yoon was recognised for building a successful brand in a niche market, supplying staple Korean ingredients, fresh mushrooms and soju to South Australian businesses. He was also commended for his work in providing employment opportunities for people living with disabilities.
“I have always believed that building an environment where people can stay matters,” Yoon said.
“Before I started food distribution in South Australia, there were only around 15 to 18 Korean restaurants in the region. Today, there are more than 40.”
The InDaily 40 Under 40 Awards have been held annually since 2018, recognising the state’s leading young entrepreneurs and business leaders aged under 40 .
More than 420 people attended last night’s ceremony at the William Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval, with special guest performances from loop master Adam Page and Adelaide Cabaret Festival artist and singer Alex De Porteous.
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Education Minister Lucy Hood was in attendance while opposition leader Ashton Hurn presented at the awards ceremony, saying the 40 finalists would “go on to shape the future of our state”.
“It’s really important on nights like tonight that we celebrate everything that is authentic about your successes. Recognising not just your achievements, but all the challenges you’ve had to endure,” Hurn said.
“If there’s one thing or moment that I could really share about taking on a leadership role when the road ahead was obviously going to be really tough, it’s that you’ve really got to be all in with what you’re doing.
“What I’m really excited about is that the future of this state is not going to be determined solely by the government of any persuasion, and I think that’s a good thing.
“It’s going to be shaped by people like yourselves, who are in this room, who risk everything to give your ambition a red-hot crack, to risk everything, to have those sacrifices, and that’s something that we really need to be celebrating tonight.”
Notable 40 Under 40 alumni were also in attendance, with 2020 First Among Equals Award winner and Big Easy Group founder Oliver Brown making the keynote speech.
“My message to everyone here tonight is simple: it is to keep striving, keep pushing, and keep doing hard things,” Brown said.
“Keep finding those little moments every day where you can, and in your own special way, make the world a little bit better than it was yesterday.”
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