By Melanie Jackson, FAPC Communications Graduate Assistant

(Stillwater, Okla. – March 29, 2017) Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center is challenging college students to share their creative and innovative ideas for new food and beverage products in April for a chance to compete in a product development competition.

“The 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, introduced new food inventions that are now American classics including the hamburger, hot dog, peanut butter, iced tea, cotton candy, the club sandwich and the ice cream cone,” said Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager. “Now 113 years later, college students have the opportunity to create the next greatest food and beverage inventions.”

The Food & Beverage Product Development Competition will be held Sept. 12 from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will foster creative research, idea development, product and process development, and commercialization potential and evaluation. However, individuals or teams must complete the entry form by April 28.

“The goal of this competition is to provide students with an opportunity to take on the role of a food scientist and develop a new product,” said Dani Bellmer, FAPC food process engineer. “By participating in the competition, students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the various stages of product development.”

To participate in the contest, undergraduate or graduate students from any Oklahoma college or university are tasked to create a new food or beverage product.

Competitor selections will be made by May 19, and selected applicants must submit a $25 deposit to reserve a spot in the contest. The entry fee will be refunded after students complete the event, and competitors will be reimbursed up to $100 for ingredients and supplies.

During the Sept. 12 event, selected participants will display a storyboard or poster and provide product samples for tasting. In addition, participants will deliver a 3- to 5-minute presentation in FAPC’s Kerr Auditorium, and answer questions from the judges and audience members.

Entries will be judged on both oral presentation quality and product characteristics and will be evaluated for consumer appeal and market potential; clarity and organization of presentation; product and process description; product appearance, texture and taste; creativity and uniqueness; and commercial process description.

Representatives from the food and beverage industry will serve as judges. First, second and third place winners will receive $500, $250 and $100, respectively.

Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager, said he is excited to see the ingenuity of students as they develop their products for the competition.

“This is a great opportunity for students to share their ideas and network with food industry professionals,” he said. “Not only does the competition support FAPC’s vision of fostering innovation and growth and preparing students for careers in the food industry, but the event also adds to the ongoing celebration of FAPC’s 20-year anniversary.”

For more information about the Food & Beverage Product Development Competition description and rules, please visit http://fapc.biz/workshops/food-beverage-product-development-competition.

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Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, Oklahoma State has graduated more than 260,000 students who have been serving Oklahoma and the world for 125 years.