MADISON – Wisconsin Business World, a program of WMC Foundation, has again partnered with Kwik Trip to host the twice-annual Kwik Trip Innovation Competition. This statewide business-focused contest tasked 6th-12th grade students with creating and presenting a marketing plan for a new product to be sold in Kwik Trip stores.
Students were challenged to develop original ideas that reflect real‑world business problem‑solving, customer focus, and operational excellence – values that align closely with Kwik Trip’s mission and culture. Four winning projects were ultimately announced.
The winners of the Spring 2026 Innovation Competition:
- Kate Dwyer (11th grade) – Hamilton High School: “Kwik Sips“
- Addy Osgood (9th grade) – Holmen High School: “Kwik Deli“
- William Kussow, Rowan Bodemer, Jake Hendrickson (12th grade) – Middleton High School: “Kwik Harvest“
- Jackson Bosch, Henry Bosch (10th grade) – La Crosse High School: “KwikGains“
“At Wisconsin Business World, we want to empower students to see opportunities, innovate creatively, and then apply their ideas to the real-world,” said Senior Director of Wisconsin Business World Michelle Grajkowski. “This contest helps them do exactly that. We’re thankful for our partnership with Kwik Trip and are always impressed with the creativity the students bring to the table. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”
La Crosse-headquartered Kwik Trip is a leader in vertical-integration, operating its own bakery, dairy, food-safety labs, distribution center, transportation company, and more. The competition gives students an opportunity to imagine a wide array of products and services for the contest. The winning entries each included a virtual presentation on the product, a marketing strategy identifying a target audience, and an explanation of how the product would increase consumer sales.
“It’s exciting to see the next generation of business leaders develop ideas that could live out our mission of, “making a difference in someone’s life,”” said Kwik Trip Government Relations Manager Carl Rick. “These winners are a small sample of all the great ideas that our young people, right here in Wisconsin, have to benefit their communities.”
The contest was open to Wisconsin students in grades 6-12. All projects were submitted between January– June 2026. The winners each received a $500 cash prize.
Wisconsin Business World – a program of WMC Foundation – educates students on business, entrepreneurism, and the free market through its statewide competitions, Summer Camps, one-day programs, online curriculum, and classroom presentations. The Business World message is simple: Business is a Force for Good.
More information about Wisconsin Business World and its programs can be found at www.wmcfoundation.org/wisconsin-business-world/.
