Nor'West News: August 11, 2022

Thursday August 11 2022 9
CREATIVE: The
team’s design
for their Enerugi
Cookies and
Sweet Enerugi
Senbei that
won them the
challenge.
Left – Team
member Fred
Sugden tests
out the matcha
powder on a
senbei.
Students win with Cookie Time ‘product’
• By Emily Moorhouse
A CASHMERE High School
student was part of the winning
team for a business challenge,
with their pitch for a healthy
alternative to energy drinks.
Archie MacDonald, 17, took
part in BizVenture Japan, a
48-hour business challenge that
saw students from around New
Zealand and Japan plan and
pitch a business product to a
panel of judges.
This year the business pitch
was centred around Cookie
Time, which has operations in
Japan.
The students were put into
teams and given 48 hours to
address one of two real-world
briefs.
The first focused on a new
product for Cookie Time to
introduce into its Japanese
market, supported by a threeyear
marketing plan.
The second focused on a new
market opportunity for Cookie
Time to introduce into its
existing product range.
MacDonald was the only South
Islander in his team and said
it was exciting to get out of his
comfort zone and take the win.
While he admitted it was
“pretty weird” working so closely
with people he had just met,
it wasn’t long before the team
found common interests and got
along well.
“Naturally there are some
nerves involved for sure, but we
all worked together and all had
different strengths as well,” he
said.
MacDonald was in charge of
financial aspects, which he said
was a challenge as he had never
launched a food product or been
to Japan before.
In spite of this, MacDonald’s
team won the competition with
their idea of Enerugi Cookies
and Sweet Enerugi Senbei
(Japanese rice cakes), combined
with matcha powder.
“Over in Japan there’s a lot
of energy products consumed
everyday . . . so if we could put
that into a Cookie Time cookie,
that’s a more family friendly
option,” MacDonald said.
“Including the energy aspect
into a senbei we thought was a
pretty cool way of linking both
the business and our product to
the Japanese culture.”
MacDonald said the “bragging
rights” and excitement of
winning was “pretty awesome”,
and is hoping to get into the
world of business when he leaves
high school at the end of the
year.
“Having the experience I’ve
got over the last couple of years
is definitely something I’ll be
looking at following in the
future,” he said.
Archie MacDonald
Restoring your confidence through your smile
Full service Denture Clinic
and Laboratory
Caldent Denture Cleaner
Free Consultation
No Obligation
Ph: 385 5517 + 396 Innes Road, St Albans
admin@denturesplus.co.nz
+ denturesplus.co.nz
Ash goes in
the red bin
If you’re cleaning out your fire this winter,
remember that ash needs to be cooled for at
least five days before going in your red bin.
BECAUSE YOUR
FEET MATTER
40 years
combined
experience
• General Foot Care
• Biomechanical
• Orthotics
• Ingrown Toenails
• ACC Registered
• Diabetic Foot Care
45 Merrin Street, Avonhead
Ph: 03 357 0155
E: info@footmatterspodiatry.co.nz
Book Online! No referral required.
Find out more at
ccc.govt.nz/ash