For many, rising temperatures in summer months are accompanied by rising cravings for ice cream and other ways to beat the heat. To relieve that craving, a new ice cream cookie sandwich developed by MSU students is hitting shelves across campus this month.
Udder Delights, which features ice cream from the MSU Dairy Store and a cookie from the MSU Bakers, was developed by Spartan Hospitality Group — a department within MSU Residential and Hospitality Services — after receiving multiple marketing plans from professor Bonnie Knutson’s senior capstone class in the School of Hospitality Business in spring 2010.
The ice cream bar costs $2.99 and is available now at some Sparty’s locations, including those in Case, Holden, Wilson and Hubbard halls. By the end of the month, Udder Delights should be available at both Dairy Store locations, Forest Akers Golf Course, 3535 Forest Road, in Lansing, and Kellogg Center, among other places.
“This is a concept that was MSU homegrown,” Spartan Hospitality Group director Joel Heberlein said.
Every year, hospitality business seniors take the capstone course, in which they work with an actual client to develop a strategic marketing plan for a particular brand, Knutson said. Spartan Hospitality Group was the client for her spring 2010 semester class.
After receiving marketing plans from 15 student teams, the group has spent the last two years implementing various elements from the reports to form a final product, she said, adding the Udder Delights project harkens to MSU’s rich tradition in agriculture.
“Far and wide, every Spartan who comes and every guest who comes knows of the outstanding ice cream at the Dairy Store,” Knutson said.
Other former clients for the capstone class include Kellogg Center, Wharton Center and Lexington Lansing Hotel, 925 S. Creyts Road, in Lansing, Knutson said.
Geography senior Paul Stano said he visits the Dairy Store a couple of times each semester, regardless of the season. Stano said he likes to get drinks and ice cream from the store and would be interested in trying Udder Delights once it’s available.
“It’s homemade at MSU, so you can only get it here,” Stano said. “Why not get it while you’re here at MSU?”
Heberlein said Spartan Hospitality Group will be working during the summer to prepare a full marketing and advertising plan for Udder Delights, incorporating some of the ideas from the groups from Knutson’s class. The Spartan Hospitality Group also is working on a mobile food truck, which will sell the ice cream bar and other food around MSU’s campus, that Heberlein hopes to have ready by this fall, he said.
“We wanted to get (Udder Delights) out this spring, so the current students would have an opportunity to experience it and get some feedback on that,” Heberlein said.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “MSU ice cream treat debuts” on social media.
