October 30, 2008

BCU’s 4th Annual SnackWise Competition Challenges High School Students to be Entrepreneurial

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Briar Cliff University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) challenged local high school business students to develop and market healthy snacks in the 4^th Annual SnackWise Marketing Plan Competition, sponsored by Briar Cliff and JOLLY TIME Pop Corn.

Team finalists are: Worthington (Minn.) High School’s “Political Popcorn,” a red and blue snack with healthy antioxidant rich blueberries and cranberries; Sioux City North High School’s “Star Munch,” which is a sweet and salty popcorn creation with almond bark, pretzels, candy and other ingredients; and LeMars Gehlen High School’s “Pop N’ Pretzels made with large pretzel sticks drizzled with almond bark and caramel and then rolled in pop corn.

Team finalists will have their products for sale from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1 at Southern Hills Mall Center Court in Sioux City. First-, Second- and Third-Place winners will be based on each team’s profits during the two-hour selling period. Briar Cliff SIFE representatives also will be on hand distributing free materials from Briar Cliff University.

“We have partnered with JOLLY TIME Pop Corn to give high school business students opportunities to develop and market a healthy popcorn based snack,” said Marilyn Eastman, BCU instructor of business and SIFE faculty advisor. “Besides learning how to develop and market a new product, students participating in the SnackWise Competition gain valuable business experiences and have the chance to earn money for their schools.”

The First-Place team will receive a $100 cash prize, JOLLY TIME prize pack and a personalized tour of the JOLLY TIME Pop Corn facilities in Sioux City.  Second- and Third-Place teams will receive $50 cash prizes and JOLLY TIME prize packs. The teams will keep the profits earned from their sales. The public is invited to visit the sales booths and support the high school teams.

Briar Cliff University is a Catholic institution with an enrollment of more than 1,100 students from 24 states and four countries.  Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care and compassion. For more information, please visit briarcliff.edu.