A group of budding young entrepreneurs from Lawn Manor Academy have made their mark on one of Swindon’s most well-known health-conscious businesses. Teaming up with The Core, a popular juice and healthy food bar in Old Town, pupils took part in an exciting competition to design a brand-new smoothie for the menu.
As part of a career-focused personal development day, The Core’s founder, Kris Talikowski, visited the school to share his journey of launching and running a successful business. His talk inspired students to think creatively about food, health, and business, leading to a challenge – to craft their very own smoothie recipe and branding concept.
Three teams were shortlisted, and the finalists were invited to The Core to put their creations to the test. The challenge required them to balance flavour with nutritional benefits while ensuring their smoothie had an eye-catching name and label.
The winning creation, Caribbean Concoction, was the brainchild of Year 7 pupils Izabela, Lexi, Emma, Eva, and Nhi. Their refreshing blend of mango, peach, orange, and pineapple, combined with beach-themed branding, impressed the judges and will feature on The Core’s menu as a special edition smoothie throughout the Easter holidays, from 7th to 21st April 2025.
Dan Jacklin, Head of Aspirations and Futures at Lawn Manor Academy, said: “Learning from successful local business owners helps our pupils see the possibilities ahead of them. Hearing Kris’s story and then getting to visit The Core really brought this experience to life for them.”
Kris Talikowski added: “Encouraging young people to think about healthy eating in creative ways is so important. It was fantastic to see the pupils take on this challenge with such enthusiasm, and we can’t wait to serve their Caribbean Concoction in-store.”
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust. For more information, visit www.lawnmanor.org.
