Viva Pharmaceutical improves health around world and locally here at home
Getting and staying healthy is at the heart of the business of Viva Pharmaceutical. As a Richmond-based manufacturer of custom-made pharmaceutical and natural health food products, Viva Pharmaceutical has built a world-wide reputation for producing vital products to help improve health.
Over the years, health has also been at the heart of its philanthropic giving. As a donor to Richmond Hospital Foundation, Viva Pharmaceutical has been an active champion to improve local health care for the community in Richmond. “What is a community? It’s people living together,” says Jason Ko, President and CEO and the founder of Viva Pharmaceutical. “Our society is like a big family. You can help others. They can help you. It’s a mutual interaction.”
Jason, a pharmacist, graduated from Pharmaceutical Sciences in Taiwan and moved with his wife, Emily, and his sons to Canada in 1993. Drawn to the beauty of the region and sensing economic opportunities, he founded the company in Richmond with 10 employees. “The environment is so beautiful here, and Richmond is a great place for business. It’s ideally located with excellent services and convenient transportation.”
Growing the business and acquiring state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, Viva has today become the biggest pharmaceutical and natural health food products manufacturer in British Columbia, occupying three buildings with a total area of over 100,000 sq. ft. in Richmond and employing 150 people, supplying high quality products that prevent or treat disease for customers worldwide.
A clever entrepreneurial business leader, Jason Ko is also a inspirational advocate for others to join in his vision to give to Richmond Hospital to improve local health care. “It’s important to join in the community and support others,” he says. “We need to go beyond the attitudes we often have as consumers. We need to open minds that it’s important to help other people as well. That makes for a healthier community and a better society.”
