This September, a cooking channel came to life at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as ADM teamed up with the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences to host the Food Innovation Challenge. 

Undergraduate and graduate students signed up in teams of four, each paired with a mentor from ADM — Käti Ledbetter, Dina Fernandez, Ko-Lan Tsung, and Duc Do. Given an ingredient list provided by ADM, their mission was to develop a new breakfast or snack grab-and-go item. 

The competition kicked off on Sept. 27 at the ADM Science and Technology Center at Research Park. The student kitchen at Bevier Hall’s teaching labs became a creative playground, where teams could experiment with their innovative ideas. 

Two weeks later on Oct. 11, teams gathered again to present their innovative new food items to ADM judges Jose Leboreiro, VP R&D; Tony Payne, Sr. Director CD&D; and Chef Nate Schomers, and ACES judges Anna Ball, associate dean of academic programs; Jenny Larson, assistant dean of marketing communications; and Bevier Café Chef Carter Philips. Judging was based on a variety of areas including nutrition facts, creativity, flavor, texture, visual, aroma, color, and verbal presentation. 

The youngest team in the competition, made up of four food science sophomores, secured first place with their "Fruit-trition" breakfast bars. "We were in disbelief," said team captain Alysha Haverkos. "We didn’t think we’d win, especially with so many other innovative products that we competed against.” 

Their idea for the "Fruit-trition" breakfast bars was inspired by the convenience of combining breakfast and on-the-go snacking. The bars featured a top layer of jelly in two flavors: classic strawberry and a unique coffee-banana blend inspired by the British dessert banoffee pie.

“Our mentor, Dina Fernandez at ADM, was a huge help,” Haverkos said. “As young competitors, her guidance on our presentation and product marketing made a real difference."

Unlike typical competitions, this event encouraged teams to collaborate, allowing them to share tips, tricks, and ideas. “The advice from our older, more experienced competitors was invaluable,” Haverkos said. “Their insights helped us feel more prepared as a team.”

Reflecting on their win, Haverkos added, “We all won together.”

The Food Innovation Challenge perfectly aligns with Haverkos’ career goals to work in product development, bringing other new food product creations to life. 

After the competition, students were invited to attend Celebrate Food and Agriculture Day at the Fighting Illini football game, providing them with an opportunity to network with Illinois alumni and ADM representatives. 

“I really enjoyed getting to know the ADM mentors more, learning about their educational path, and gaining career readiness tips,” Haverkos said. 

Nicki Engeseth, department head of FSHN, and Amy Fruehling, senior director of corporate and foundation relations, played important roles in setting up and facilitating the competition. The key objectives were to engage students with ADM, strengthen the partnership between Illinois and ADM, and showcase the ADM kitchen and the company’s ingredients. Yet, so much more was achieved.

“We had four great teams of students who, in the midst of a busy semester, took the time to work together on a creative challenge with the added benefit of interacting with ADM professionals. Each team was phenomenal, and the products were so creative! We hope to continue this as an annual event.” Engeseth said.  

“This was a great event to help students build skills such as teamwork, communication/presentation, innovation and creativity, managing timelines, and working through problems,” Freuhling said. “This is a great example of the ‘experiential learning’ opportunities in ACES, and we are so thankful to have companies like ADM to work with us to help develop and prepare students for their future careers.”

“The event was a great way to generate ideas for the use ADM ingredients. All four teams developed innovative concepts that integrated ADM sweeteners, fibers, and proteins,” Leboreiro said. “In addition, it was a fantastic opportunity to engage with students who will be the future leaders in the food industry.”

Story Source(s)

Amy Fruehling

Nicki Engeseth