Product Development Competition

OVERVIEW

The AACC International Student Division Product Development Competition (PDC) is organized by students and sponsored by food companies who are members of AACCI. The PDC provides a great opportunity for students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in school to create new food products professionally and intelligently in the real business world. The competition is designed to encourage innovative thinking of students in the cereal science area, expose students to a real-world situation, and promote the connection between academic research and industrial production. Students can work individually or in a team to develop a novel food product containing at least one major cereal/legume ingredient.  Winners not only receive financial awards and industry recognition, but also have a chance to cooperate with potential food companies to launch their innovative products to food markets.

 

OBJECTIVES

1. Promote students' professional development through creating new food products and presenting their ideas in front of food industry representatives.
2. Provide networking opportunities with food company members of AACCI.
3. Increase student membership and involvement in the Student Division, and enhance student attendance at the AACCI Annual Meeting.
4. Raise funds for the student division.

PRIZES

1. A total of three (3) prizes will be awarded: first place ($2,550); second place ($1,700); and third place ($850).
2. The five (5) finalists selected to compete at the AACCI Annual Meeting will receive $300 per team toward travel expenses.
3. No team can win more than one prize.
4. All participating teams will receive a certificate of participation.
5. Winning teams will be featured in Cereal Foods World.
6. The winners will be announced and awards will be presented during the AACCI Annual Meeting.
7. All product formulations remain property of entering individuals and/or teams or universities, according to the schools' regulations.

COMPETITION RULES

 (printable version of 2013 PDC guidelines)

Failure to comply with any of the rules will result in disqualification.

Eligibility

1. All participating team members must be current student members of AACCI in 2013. (Not a member? Join now!).
2. Each participant must be enrolled at a four-year accredited college or a graduate student during the 2013 spring semester.
3. A team can consist of one or more members. There is no limit to the number of members per team. All members of a team must attend the same school.
4. More than one team per school can participate.
5. Each team must designate a team leader for contacting purpose.
6. Each product must be based on an original idea from the student(s). Professors may be consultants but not be a major contributor to the work.
7. Each team must have a faculty advisor, who can testify to the originality of the product and verify that each team member is a student.
8. The originally developed product must contain at least one major ingredient from cereal/legume (e.g. barley, corn, oat, rice, rye, sorghum, wheat, oilseeds, pulse, etc.).
9. All finalists must register for the student division dinner held at the annual meeting.

How to participate

Intent to enter competition by June 3, 2013

1. Submit a copy of the  2013 PDC Entry Form to the PDC Chair Tom Jondiko, (jondiko@yahoo.com) via e-mail to communicate the team’s intent to participate.
2. Develop an original food product containing at least one major ingredient from cereal/legume (e.g., barley, corn, oat, rice, rye, sorghum, wheat, oilseeds, pulses, etc.).

By July 2, 2013

A report of the developed product must be e-mailed to the PDC chair by 11:59 p.m. C.S.T. on July 2, 2013. Reports received after July 2, 2013, will not be accepted.

Report criteria
The report must be two (2) pages or less (not including the cover page, references list, and the appendix pages for photographs of the product). The report must be a word file with a font size of 12-point and single spaced with 1" margins (top, bottom, left, and right). The cover page should contain the product and team information (product name, school name, team members’ names, and AACCI membership ID numbers). The report should contain the following aspects:  

1. Introduction/justification
2. Product description
   • Ingredients
   • Formulation
   • Nutritional values/health benefits
3. Processing/packaging procedures
4. Safety/shelf life
5. Market
   • Target market
   • Marketing potential/plan
6. References

A picture of the product can be attached on an additional page.

AACCI and the Student Division reserve the right to share the following information with the sponsors:

1. Introduction/justification
2. Product description
3. Contact information of the student teams

By August 6, 2013

Five (5) finalists will be notified via e-mail. All the teams will be informed of the total points of their own report.

Finalists should prepare the following items before the 2013 AACCI annual meeting:

1. A poster (46” x 42”) to be presented at the PDC poster judging session during the 2013 AACC I Annual Meeting in Hollywood, Florida September 29 - October 2, 2013. The poster should include:
   1. Product description/formulation
   2. Nutritional label
   3. Shelf life
   4. Processing/packaging
   5. Marketing aspects
   6. Any other relevant information regarding the product
2. A Powerpoint file for a 10-minute oral presentation
3. A tasting session after the oral presentation. Provide enough servings of the product for judges in the tasting session and an example of the package.

Finalists are responsible for the utensils (e.g., cups, dishes, forks, etc.) needed in the tasting session.  Appliances must be provided by the teams as AACCI does not furnish them. There are restrictions as to what can be brought in, and permission must be obtained from the facility for fire marshal issues. If your team will be bringing an appliances (e.g., microwave, blender, refrigerator, etc.), please contact the PDC chair, Tom Jondiko (jondiko@yahoo.com) by August 30, 2013 for approval.

AACCI and the Student Division do not take any responsibility for complications that may result from the product tasting. Entry into this competition means a release of AACCI and the Student Division from any liability for damage incurred as a result of this competition.


JUDGING CRITERIA

1. Judges (four to six) will be representatives from the food industry who are members of AACCI.
2. The total points granted by the judges will determine the winners.
3. In case of a tie, judges will be asked to provide a final decision.
4. The top five (5) teams to compete during the AACCI Annual Meeting will be selected by the judges according to the two-page report. The reports will be scored using a 100-point scale, based on the following aspects:

5. The finalists competing during the AACCI Annual Meeting will be evaluated using a 200-point scale. The points will be distributed as shown below:

Category	Criteria	Points
Poster	Originality	15
	Technical Feasibility	10
	Marketing plan/potential	10
	Product description	10
	Process description	5
	Organization	5
	Safety/shelf life	5
	Total	60
Product	Sample Product appearance	25
	Flavor/aroma	25
	Texture/physical sensory	25
	Packaging appearance	15
	Packaging functionality	10
	Total	100
Oral	Presentation Originality	10
	Clarity	10
	Organization	15
	Interest generated	5
	Total	40
Total points		200

 

 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

• June 3, 2013
  Submit the Entry Form to the PDC chair to communicate your team’s intent to participate.
• July 2, 2013
  Submit a two (2)-page product report to the PDC chair.
• August 6, 2013
  Notification of the finalists participating during the annual meeting.
• September 29 - October 2, 2013
  Poster and oral presentations and the product tasting session to be held at the 2013 AACCI Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

CONTACT

All inquiries, comments, and product reports should go to:
Tom Jondiko
AACCI 2013 Student Division PDC Chair
Phone: (979) 587-6467
E-mail: jondiko@yahoo.com

 

Previous Awardees