Cornell University Wins IFTSA and Mars Snacking Product Development Competition

CHICAGO – August 13, 2026 – The Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA), a student-governed community of members of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), is proud to announce that Cornell University was selected as the winner of the 36^th Annual IFTSA and Mars Product Development Competition held last month at IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo in Chicago. Winning a grand prize of $3,000 and a mentorship opportunity with Mars Snacking, Cornell University was selected for GoKara, a globally inspired, functional snack pack pairing upcycled okara crisps with a creamy, cultured soy dip.

Last year, Cornell University won for NoriNom, a shelf-stable premium snack inspired by sushi flavors in a crunchy, bite-sized format.

As part of the product development competition, each participating school’s team develops a new food idea and carries the concept through marketing and product, much like a commercial product development team. At the finals, each team presented their product through an oral presentation and a tasting session by an expert panel of judges, who evaluated the product on factors including shelf life, profitability, and flavor.

“We are incredibly excited and proud to win first place! Throughout this past year, everyone on the team put in immense effort from ideation, formulation, and technical optimization to polishing the visuals and story for our product and presentation. For many on the team, this competition was their first product development competition and first time attending IFT FIRST. For me, this was my last competition as a student and was a meaningful culmination of what I have learned over the past years,” said Cornell co-captain April Huang.

“Not only is (IFT FIRST) a great event to learn and see the new trends and emerging products on the market, but it’s a unique time to network with all areas of the food industry. Meeting folks from academia, industry, and government and getting to bond over something we are passionate about—food—and feeding our growing population. Especially with GoKara to talk about, it brought the conversations deeper for us to ask about potential problems we had or even to just share more about how excited I am about the future of food,” added co-captain Sonia Su.

McGill University finished second for Mangoodle, a reimaging of dessert in an unexpected format: instant ramen. Inspired by mango sticky rice, Mangoodle consists of a mango-coconut broth paired with naturally purple noodles and garnished with a variety of crunchy toppings. The University of Wisconsin Madison finished third for FourCast Chews, a fun, nostalgic, sour gummy snack featuring four seasonally themed shapes and flavors: spring peach, summer pineapple, fall apple, and winter cranberry-spice, each with a complementary juice-filled center.

“The IFTSA and Mars Product Development Competition continues to showcase the remarkable creativity, scientific expertise, and entrepreneurial mindset of the next generation of food professionals,” said Stephanie Walaszek, IFT Manager of Academic Engagement. “Cornell University’s winning product, GoKara, demonstrates how students are tackling real-world challenges through innovative food design, combining sustainability, nutrition, and consumer appeal in a compelling new snacking experience. Congratulations to the Cornell team as well as all finalist teams for bringing forward thoughtful, market-ready concepts that reflect the future of food innovation.”

IFTSA is a student-governed community of more than 2,300 IFT members spanning 65 Chapters. IFTSA’s vision of a global community of inspired and informed students who are prepared for a future in food drives its mission to enrich the academic experience and empower students to thrive individually and together. To prepare the future and celebrate the community, IFTSA provides opportunities beyond the classroom and lab, grows student networks to facilitate meaningful and lasting connections, as well as includes and promotes diverse perspectives and backgrounds to foster a culture of belonging.

IFTSA members have access to an extensive library of exclusive content and resources, as well as a series of virtual and in-person networking opportunities. Learn more about joining this growing community at Become a Member.

About Institute of Food Technologists

Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit ift.org.