MASON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CREATE "GOLD STAR CHILI ROLL-UPS"

CINCINNATI, Ohio - (January 18, 2005) - Two Mason High School business classes spent the fall semester of 2004 developing new menu concepts in a competition for Gold Star Chili. The winners of the competition "Team Emerge" created the "Gold Star Chili Roll-Up" concept. Each of the three Gold Star Chili Roll-Up varieties feature a soft flour tortilla stuffed with rice, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream with either traditional Gold Star Chili, hot and spicy Tex Mex Chili or Veggie Chili. The Gold Star Chili Roll-Ups were available at the Arbor Square Gold Star Chili in Mason through March 20.

Mason High School teacher Debbie Gentene approached Gold Star Chili with the idea for this contest to help teach her students about competition and working as a team.

"Our students started by identifying a target market and creating a menu concept to appeal to this market. The groups had to employ various market research strategies to evaluate the viability of their concepts and use pricing analysis to ensure their products would be profitable," said Gentene. "The students had to develop promotional strategies and to persuasively present their ideas to the key decision makers at Gold Star Chili. Most importantly, they had to learn to function together as a team."

"We are very appreciative of Gold Star for giving our students the input and background to undertake this challenge and for rewarding them by actually introducing the winning concept to the Mason community," she continued.

The four teams presented their menu concepts and marketing strategies to Gold Star Chili’s operations team on Tuesday, January 18. Judges from Gold Star Chili included Mike Mason, Lori Busse Hubbard, Gail Carroll, Sharon Dowers, Dave Mayerik and Mike Tremblay. "All of the concepts presented could be potential additions to the Gold Star Chili menu," said Mike Mason. "We selected Team Emerge’s Roll Up concept because they did extensive research to support their recommendations including focus groups, customer surveys and competitive analysis. They also prepared a very professional presentation."

 ###

Established in 1965, Gold Star Chili has more than 100 restaurants located throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and has supported fire safety prevention and education as corporate-wide philanthropy since 1995. For more information about Gold Star Chili and its fire safety initiatives visit www.goldstarchili.com.