MILNE’S HIGH SCHOOL pupils have been showcasing the results of several weeks’ teamwork in researching, developing and creating a new soup for the Baxters food range.
In a style very reminiscent of the challenges faced by Lord Sugar’s business hopefuls in ‘The Apprentice’, the Moray pupils also developed a marketing campaign for their products, working out costings to ensure it fulfilled the industry brief they received.
The challenge was launched in January by Craig Smith from the Fochabers firm, laying the brief and providing an overview of the company and the jobs it had to offer. From there the S2 pupils set about learning more about the areas vital in the modern food and drink industry.
These tasks were a match for the variety of subjects the pupils are already studying – new product development (Home Economics), food testing and nutritional analysis (Biology), creating catchy jingles (Music), product marketing (Business Education) and label design (Art).
A spokeswoman for the Moray school said: “The youngsters have also found out more about the skills required and the varied career opportunities available in the food and drink industry.
“The culmination of all of this hard work took place on ‘Soup Challenge Day’, when the teams worked hard to finalise their product, create their soup, market their product, design their label, analyse their ingredients and create an advertising jingle.
“Their efforts were judged along the way and the end product was tasted by a team of judges from Baxters, headed by Warren Lawson, and the local community with specialisms within the relevant fields.
“The winning team will be treated to a tour of the Baxter’s factory where they will have the opportunity to see their own product being made.
“A massive well done goes to the huge amount of effort all of the groups put in to their work not only on the day but in the weeks running up to the event, and a big thank you also goes to staff in school and from Baxters who helped organise and run the event.”
Overall winners of the four categories were:
- Best Music Jingle/Advertisement – the Pizza Soup Crew (James Gillies, Daisy Wiles, Thomas Hopkins, Rebekah Lee and Joanna Walker).
- Best Food Analysis – Souper Soup Makers (Sophie Smart, Jamie Manson, Liam Thomson, Owen Loveland and Maisie McWilliam).
- Best Design and Marketing – Souper (Oliver Wylie, Suzie Hunter, Kate Kinniburgh, Jamie Johnston and Joshua Moffat).
- Best Soup – The Pizza Soup Crew (James Gillies, Daisy Wiles, Thomas Hopkins, Rebekah Lee and Joanna Walker).
The overall winners on the day were ‘The Pizza Soup Crew’ – for their imaginative and creative ‘Pizza Soup’.