Saskatchewan students will try to sell American judges on a seabuckthorn beverage during a marketing plan competition in Atlanta, Georgia, this April.
Tracy Meyer, Troy Prosofsky and Mandy Rowland of the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association’s University of Saskatchewan chapter are among the agriculture students participating in the 37-team challenge at the National Agri-Marketing Association conference.
Meyer called it a good learning experience that allows them to receive real world training for the marketing classes they take.
“It adds to my university experience,” said the CAMA chapter president.
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
“It puts extra sparkle into my four years.”
For Rowland, it’s a chance to meet with industry professionals and see the process unfold from start to finish.
Prosofsky sees opportunities to build leadership skills, rub shoulders with future employers and help others improve their presentation and marketing abilities while he hones his own.
“It’s very rewarding to see fellow classmates succeed and develop their skills,” he said.
Prosofsky compared the competition to television shows such as Dragon’s Den and The Apprentice.
The competition features three rounds, with previous U of S teams advancing as far as the second round.
Meyer is optimistic about their chances this year.
She compared the flavour of their fruit beverage to a fruit roll-up snack, with a consistency similar to vegetable juice. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, beta-carotene and flavonoids and was developed by Saskatchewan’s Northern Vigor Berries Inc.
“We want people to substitute it for vitamins,” said Prosofsky, who noted the product received favourable reviews from taste testers during the Western Canadian Crop Production Show in Saskatoon in January.
The beverage is one of the products for which students are developing marketing plans in a strategic agribusiness marketing class led by professor Tom Allen.
Citing a separation between academia and real world experiences, Allen said the CAMA chapter builds on class work.
“It gives them a little piece of real life, on how they will work in their future careers, working with real clients on a product,” he said.
“The chapter is taking it to the next step.”
Students will spend 12 hours or more each week working with a host of experts to get their presentations ready for the competition.
The Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan is providing the project with $250, which will be matched by the business client.
The university CAMA chapter, which focuses on increasing members’ skills in marketing, finance, entrepreneurship and leadership, will raise approximately $16,000 to send 12 members to the competition.
