Goosefoot scoop top prize for best vending snack

Final-year Culinary Arts Management students staged an exhibition of healthy vending snacks for the Automatic Vending Association’s (AVA) Culinary Product Development Challenge. 

Working in teams, the UCB students were tasked with developing a delicious new range of products to meet calls for healthier vending alternatives. The results were then judged by representatives from across the food, health and vending sectors. 

The judging panel, which included representatives from Unilever, Mondelez and the NHS, selected Goosefoot because of its strong understanding of the product and how it would fit into the vending industry’s business sector. 

The judges said Goosefoot showed “absolute passion” for their product, which met all of the target criteria of being a vending snack product that was nutritionally-balanced, tasty, well thought-out and under 250 calories. 

Goosefoot’s winning concept consisted of two quinoa bars self-contained in carbon-friendly packaging with one bar being sweet and one savoury. The team was made up of six students: Simon Whitby, Amelia Pratten, James Wood, Chris Luscombe, Michael Chatwin and Gavin Youngson. They developed their idea for a quinoa bar after spotting a gap in the vending market for a healthy snack bar that was free from allergens and artificial ingredients. 

The other five teams were Big Momma’s Kitchen, Super Pops, Synergy, Fill Me Up Cups and Posh Nosh. 

Bernhard Schumacher, Module Leader for Culinary Arts Management at UCB, said: "We are extremely proud of all the teams. The creativity, culinary talent and professionalism they showed for the project was amazing. The students made their learning visible by developing a variety of healthier product concepts for the vending industry. The level of teamwork and attention to detail was incredible.” 

Tim Franklyn Hays, head of the culinary service team at Unilever and a judge, said: “It was evident that the students had worked very hard on their projects over the last few weeks. They had clearly taken on board the feedback was given to them at the mid-point of the project and the sheer amount of enthusiasm for their projects during the final presentations was very impressive. These guys really believed in their products and the presentation skills were brilliant and well-practised. All the students are a credit to UCB and their future industry. I look forward to being involved in this project next year.”

Jonathan Hilder, CEO of the AVA, concluded: “As well as being trialled across Bristol NHS Trust, the winning team will join the rest of the vending industry at our biennial event, AVEX International 2015, next June where they will have a stand in the health and well-being area and show their product and also showcase the University. 

“We are excited by the results of this year’s challenge, and what we hope will be the start of a new generation of healthier products available through vending.”