The Milk Producer - May 2012 - (Page 30)

RESEARCH By Natalie Osborne A novel concept DFO sponsors unique university course to foster dairy product development and marketing A n innovative University of Guelph course is giving a .group of students an opportunity to research, plan and develop new, innovative milk products for the dairy industry. Dairy Farmers of Ontario is one of several industries sponsoring the unique course. It lets student teams address industry-related marketing and consumer issues. Professor Melanie Lang started the program in the College of Management and Economics. This year it was expanded to include the department of food science. The eight-month course brings together representatives from industry and commodity marketing boards with student teams from CME and nutrition and food science. Industry sponsors outline a key area they’d like their student team to address, and provide feedback throughout the course. The students combine their experience to design business plans and create new products. “The students are responsible for everything from conception of the idea to commercialization of the product,” says Lang. “We try to provide them with all the resources they need for this process. Over the seven years the course has run, the collaborations have been successful and the students have come up with some impressive ideas.” Last year, DFO’s student team addressed the Ontario government’s proposal to ban 500-millilitre chocolate milk containers in high schools. They developed a low-sugar, no-sodium chocolate milk. This year, students are developing marketing strategies and product offerings to increase milk consumption in various ethnic communities. The team is researching how distribution and packaging Students in the course used skim milk powder to create a novel product. can be better designed to appeal to a broader consumer base. Other projects from previous years include promoting the dairy industry and creating new uses for existing products. For example, students used skim milk powder as a main ingredient in a new food product and investigated the feasibility of low-sodium cheeses. The teams have access to multiple resources to help turn their projects into reality. Students may use the Guelph Food and Technology Centre to develop their prototypes and conduct sensory testing on their products. A professional graphic designer helps them design the look of their brand, packaging and logos. As well, guest speakers from the University’s Catalyst Centre teach students about trade secrets, patents and intellectual property. “Whether they’re improving an existing idea or creating a product from scratch, each group has an industry sponsor representative they can consult for advice and guidance throughout the course, and that’s an important part of the process,” says Lang. “This year the course expanded in the number of students enrolled, so we were able to invite more industry sponsors, and we’re excited about what next year’s going to bring.” Natalie Osborne is a student writer with the University of Guelph’s office of research. Funding for the course comes from a number of different sources. Students who want to pursue their ideas after the course has ended often enter business competitions and use the winnings to further advance their development. The course recently became a requirement for the food science major and is a restricted elective for nutrition and the College of Management and Economics. 30 | May 2012 | MilkPRODUCER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - May 2012

The Milk Producer - May 2012
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Farm Finance
DFC Promotion
Cover Story
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Udder Health
Calf Health
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - May 2012