Food marketing students place in national competition
Nov. 9, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- A team of food marketing students from Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business recently took third place in a national competition.
Under the guidance of Ron Larson, WMU assistant professor of marketing, the students snagged the third place finish in the Food Distribution Research Society Case Study Competition, which was held in mid October. Darren Bean of Lawrence, Mich., Michelle Guilfoyle of Kalamazoo, Alisa Robere of Mount Morris, Mich., and Frank Tymrak of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., all seniors majoring in food marketing, presented their marketing plan to sell more grapefruit juice at the annual meeting of FDRS in Roanoke, Va.
Teams representing colleges from across the nation were given four weeks to study the grapefruit juice market and design strategies to increase sales, particularly among young adults. The WMU team proposed an integrated marketing program that included a new brand name, innovative packaging, special events, sweepstakes and new distribution channels.
"The judges were particularly impressed with the creative solutions our students developed," says Larson. "We're very proud of their efforts."
Media contact: Jessica English, 616 387-8400, jessica.english@wmich.edu