Note for media: Big Rock's Brewmaster and the winning SAIT students will be brewing their beer on Thursday, May 7. Media are invited to Big Rock for b-roll and interviews at 10 am. For more information, please contact Susanne Fox at 403.203.3745.
CALGARY, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ - SAIT Polytechnic marketing students are heading to Big Rock Brewery to create their own beer after successfully winning the 3rd annual WORT awards with their strategic marketing plan.
More than 16 teams presented their vision of a new beer and marketing plans to support it to the Big Rock marketing team. The winning team led the way with their Wildwood White Ale. For the first time since the competition started, the victors will get to make their beer in Big Rock's Nano Brewery, a custom-built space where customers make their own creations.
Paul Gautreau, Brewmaster at Big Rock Brewery, says the partnership with SAIT has been valuable on both sides.
"Innovation is at the heart of who we are at Big Rock and it's inspiring to hear such bold and creative ideas from these future marketers," says Gautreau. "It will be fun to work with them on brewing some of their own beer, too."
The winning team of five students — Cassidy Scheidt, Petra Krampe, Alexandria Fedrickson, Kaitlynn Biggs, and Brad Dixon — developed an extensive marketing/promotional plan to support their beer. The highlight was an innovative labelling technique, which would appear as an orange peel wrapped around the neck of each bottle. The peeled label would reveal an "adventure" idea for the customer to participate in.
"The opportunity for Business students to work so closely with an industry partner has given them significant real-world experience they can take into their careers," says David Ower, Dean of the School of Business at SAIT Polytechnic. "With Big Rock as a client, students went beyond the theoretical to engage in a true business marketing experience."
The WORT awards are named after a key ingredient in the beer making process. Wort is the liquid drawn from the mashing process during the brewing of the beer and contains the sugars that will be fermented by the brewing yeast to produce alcohol.
About Big Rock Brewery Inc.
Big Rock Brewery Inc. - headquartered in Calgary, Alberta - produces premium, all-natural craft beers. As Canada's leading craft brewer, Big Rock boasts a family of exceptional ales and lagers, Rock Creek Cider®, an ongoing selection of seasonal beers released through the Brewmaster's Edition and cutting-edge, limited-run brews released through the Alchemist Edition. Big Rock products are sold in nine provinces and two territories in Canada, and are also available in Korea.
For more information on Big Rock Brewery visit bigrockbeer.com
About SAIT
SAIT Polytechnic is one of Canada's most exciting destinations for post-secondary education, offering more than 100 career programs and over 1,400 part-time courses (including online and distance) that position people for success in technology, trades and business. A leader in innovation, SAIT also collaborates with industry on applied research and delivers corporate training worldwide. SAIT has been recognized as being one of Alberta's Top Employers, one of the top five research colleges in Canada and the Best Alberta Workplace for Training and Development. For more information visit sait.ca.
SOURCE Big Rock Brewery Inc.
Image with caption: "Big Rock Brewery Inc. (CNW Group/Big Rock Brewery Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150506_C8972_PHOTO_EN_16297.jpg
Image with caption: "SAIT Polytechnic (CNW Group/Big Rock Brewery Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150506_C8972_PHOTO_EN_16298.jpg
For further information on Big Rock: Susanne Fox, Communications/Media Relations Specialist, Phone: 403.203.3745, Email: sfox@bigrockbeer.com; For media inquiries on SAIT Polytechnic: Melanie Simmons, Public Relations Specialist, Phone: 403.284.8473, Email: melanie.simmons@sait.caCopyright CNW Group 2015