Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition

Overview and Purpose

The competition goal is to propose a nutritious, unique, and innovative concept applicable to a food or beverage item that integrates a fruit or vegetable in a product targeted to children under the age of 12. The product should be geared toward a retail or foodservice outlet. The first round preliminary proposals (due March 1, 2009) will be judged following the guidelines listed in the competition rules. Six finalist teams will be selected from the preliminary proposals. The final proposals (due May 1, 2009) will be judged following the guidelines listed in the competition rules. Four winners will be selected from among the six finalist teams.

Eligibility

• a team's home base must be within the fifty states, District of Columbia, Canada, or Mexico
• all members of the team must be IFTSA members
• all members of the team must be from the same university
• the team must consist of no less than two and no more than five students
• the teams may either be all undergraduate or all graduate students (there will be a winner in each category!)
• no team member may be an employee of Disney Consumer Products, Inc., its parent or affiliate companies, the advertising, promotional or fulfillment agencies of any of them, nor a member of the household or immediate family of such employee

Rules

Prizes

• One travel grant of $1,000 will be awarded to each of the six finalist teams. The travel grants are provided to help subsidize the team's expenses incurred for airfare and lodging to compete at the 2009 Annual IFT Meeting on June 8, 2009.
• Two grand prize awards (for one graduate team and one undergraduate team): a check for $2,500, a Disney trophy, and a VIP tour of Disneyland? Park.
• One first place prize: a check for $1,250.
• One second place prize: a check for $750.

Important Dates

• March 1, 2009: Preliminary proposals due.
• May 1, 2009: Final proposals due.
• Final judging will be on June 8, 2009 in Anaheim, CA at the 2009 Annual IFT Meeting.

2009 Winners

• Grand Prize Graduate Team - University of Minnesota
• Grand Prize Undergraduate Team - Kansas State University
• Second Place - UC Davis
• Third Place - Ohio State University