From classroom to market: CCI students produce their own retail-ready salsa with BECN and OAFVC

Cobourg, ON – June 10, 2024 – This spring, a class of high school business students from Cobourg Collegiate Institute (CCI) showcased their business and culinary skills by creating their own salsa product and brand with the support of the Business and Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (BECN) and the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC). Students who participated in the class exercise successfully gained new business skills, confidence and valuable experience in entrepreneurship.

Throughout the school semester, 19 students from Ms. Molly Klintworth’s Grade 12 business class worked with BECN and OAFVC staff to plan, develop, produce and market their very own retail-ready salsa. Over the course of three months, the students participated in business training and development classes with the BECN to create a business plan to promote their product. Business plans included developing a logo, slogan, and marketing activities to effectively sell the product.

“This exercise offered the opportunity for high school students to experience the process of ideating and developing a product-based business from scratch,” states County Business Development Coordinator Kailyn Coupland. “The project aimed to inspire the future generation of business owners and help them acquire the skills they need to be able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.”

With the support of Dancing Bee Equipment, located in Port Hope, the students were able to bring their vision to life by producing print packaging with custom labels. Once their business plan and branding were finalized, the students produced 600 jars of salsa at the OAFVC in Colborne, including two flavour options: Original and Pineapple and Mango Salsa.

“The OAFVC was pleased to be able to host students from CCI to help them transform their creative business idea into retail-ready consumer packaged goods,” states OAFVC Manager Trissia Mellor. “While producing salsa at the OAFVC, the students gained skills in safe food handling practices, had the opportunity to learn how to use state of the art food production equipment, and were able to get a taste for the many agri-food entrepreneurship opportunities in Northumberland.”

After developing their product, the students were able to implement their business and marketing plans to help support their school community.

“It was a pleasure to partner with the BECN and OAFVC to coordinate this unique hands-on experience for CCI’s Grade 12 business students,” states CCI business teacher Molly Klintworth. “We’re very proud of how the students transformed their creative ideas into tangible products, which are now being sold within the school community to help raise funds for the girl’s hockey team and the art club.”

This project is just one example of the numerous activities coordinated by the BECN to expose students in Northumberland to business mentorship and training. In addition to school collaborations, the BECN also offers free annual student business programs to support youth entrepreneurs and connect them with micro grants, training and resources to help them launch their own business.

For more information about these programs and the many other free business supports provided by the BECN, visit BECN.ca.

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Two groups of students from Cobourg Collegiate Institute (CCI) Grade 12 business class pictured at the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC) in Colborne holding their retail-ready salsa products.