Entrepreneurs of the future from EKC Broadstairs College have emerged victorious in a group-wide design and pitching competition, showcasing their business skills with the creation of a new coffee brand, ‘Roots for Roasts’.
The challenge provided an exciting opportunity for aspiring business professionals across East Kent to collaborate on a real project, putting their creativity, teamwork, and business acumen to the test.
The competition resulted in an exciting final pitch event held at EKC Canterbury College, bringing together top teams from Canterbury, Broadstairs, Sheppey, Folkestone, and Ashford Colleges. Each team advanced to the finals after winning internal competitions at their respective campuses.
The Broadstairs team—comprising of Logan, Nathan, Alex, Morgan, Sid, Evie, and Jessica, all T Level Business students, impressed a panel of industry experts and College staff with their sustainable coffee concept inspired by nature. The brand was praised for its clear vision, strong mission, and audience-focused strategy.
For Team Member Harry, the experience provided a significant boost in his own confidence. Speaking ahead of the final pitch, he shared:
“It’s been good for me to push out my boundaries and to see further where my strengths lie. Working with the team and bringing our strengths together has been lots of fun.”
During their pitch, the Broadstairs students showcased the reasoning behind their brand, its appeal to consumers, and strategies for standing out in a competitive market. Their professionalism and confidence was evident during the pitch, as they presented to a panel of esteemed judges, including Chris Legg, Chief Financial Officer; Nick Holbrook Sutcliffe, Chief Education Officer; and Ella Brocklebank, Head of Communications and Business Development at Jenner.
Joining them were Steve Salter, Director, and Iain Heatlie, Operations Manager, from JM Beverages, a Whitstable-based UK coffee distributor. Both judges were impressed with the team’s approach and are eager to collaborate with the students on refining ‘Roots for Roasts’ into a fully developed coffee brand that will be introduced across all East Kent Colleges Group sites.
Reflecting on the competition, Steve Salter said: “It’s been great to be a part of these pitches and see what the students across the Group had to offer. The Broadstairs team presented very well, and they were articulate throughout. Some of the concepts we’ve seen today have been very exciting, and we’re looking forward to working with the students further to develop these.”
Iain Heatlie shared similar thoughts on the day and the team’s hard work, adding: “Their confidence was very impressive, and hopefully we’ll be able to give this concept a polish so that it can become a well-recognised brand that can go across East Kent, and maybe even nationally and internationally. The whole day was well put together.”
In attendance to support the team, was Business Lecturer, Gillian McDermott, who is proud of what the students have achieved over the last few weeks of this project. She said: “It’s been a great experience for the team and for me seeing them grow and gain more confidence overall. Today is a fantastic experience that they can put on their CV’s.”
This project was led by Ben Williams, Group Head of Food and Beverage at East Kent Colleges Group, who explained the vision behind the project: “This is the third year we’ve worked closely with Business students, and this year we wanted to do something where they could have a real impact on the College community.
“Working closely with JM Beverages means that the students are able to make a difference in the local refectories as well as having the chance to be able to bounce new and exciting ideas off industry experts. I can’t wait to see what the designs look like going forward.”
For student Nathan, the opportunity to see his team’s concept brought to life is a dream come true: “It would mean the world to have my brand out there and for me to have achieved something so big. It’s been a challenging experience but very rewarding.”
This unique competition has not only allowed students to gain industry experience but also showcased their potential to make an impact on the business world.
By working on a live brief and receiving mentorship from industry professionals, all students today have developed practical skills and confidence that will serve them well in their future careers.
Discover how EKC Broadstairs College empowers students to succeed through real-world projects and industry partnerships by exploring our Business courses.
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