STEM Club’s winning trip to PepsiCo HQ

Having entered and won a competition to design, bake, package and market a healthy lunchbox snack back in 2022, Martin High STEM Club learners enjoyed an exciting day out at PepsiCo HQ on 18th January, with Science Teacher Mrs Patel. 

Despite stiff competition from other young people across the country, Martin High’s Team ‘Veggiesaurs’, made up of 12 learners from Years 10 and 11, won the PepsiCo National Healthy Lunchbox Competition with their entry of dinosaur-shaped flapjacks. 

The winning team had considered many factors when designing their healthy lunchbox snack such as:

• Who would buy the lunchbox snack and who would eat it? 

• Would it fit in a lunchbox and would it stay fresh? 

• What ingredients would make it tasty? 

• Where would it be sold? 

• What would make the packaging eye-catching? 

• What ingredients would be classed as healthy? 

• What competitor products are already available? 

During their day at PepsiCo’s Research and Development Facility in Beaumont Park, Leicester, Martin High learners:  

• Discovered how the company train their taste testers 

• Took part in their own taste testing 

• Found out how the company develop potential breakfast cereals and snacks  

• Had a go at making their own snacks 

The Veggiesaurs team also shared their winning healthy snack idea in more detail to a panel of PepsiCo staff, by giving a well-thought-through presentation, thereafter receiving their winners’ certificates. 

Proud teacher, Mrs Patel, said: “Our Martin High learners were very well engaged throughout the visit and were a real credit to the school. The PepsiCo staff were extremely impressed with their behaviour, questioning and presentation skills.”