There’s a shiny new food truck on Boise State’s campus, but instead of lunch, it’s serving up fresh market research. The TRAIL Wagon, developed for TechHelp by Boise State students, is a consumer testing lab on wheels designed to help Idaho manufacturers develop and test their food products.
TechHelp is part of the federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership program found in every state, helping small- and medium-sized manufacturers improve their products and processes. TechHelp is an Economic Development Administration University Center with its headquarters at Boise State and satellite offices at universities across Idaho. This federal program connects universities with their communities, leveraging higher education expertise and resources to support regional economic growth.
At Boise State, TechHelp saw an opportunity to provide students with hands-on learning and work experience through these community connections, so they started studio\Blu – a unique, multidisciplinary connection to the College of Business and Economics, the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.
“TechHelp deploys industry experts to help manufacturers solve their challenges. At Studio\Blu, we share the same mission, but we deploy teams of students to tackle assignments,” said Catherine Cantley, center director for Studio\Blu. “studio\Blu partners with Idaho manufacturers, putting students to work and enabling them to apply their skills to real-world projects. It’s truly inspiring for students to see the impact they can make in the marketplace.”
A 20-year tradition of student engagement
TechHelp’s work with students goes back more than two decades. Since the late ’90s, Boise State engineering students have assisted TechHelp clients with early-stage product development by creating prototypes and providing design engineering expertise. The vision for Studio\Blu, established a few years ago, aimed to expand student involvement across the entire product lifecycle.
To do that, Studio\Blu is made up of three student teams aligned with the stages of product development: design, create and launch. Design takes small manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and students through the iterative process of designing, refining, and prototyping a market-ready product. The Create team supports clients with developing the process of manufacturing those products using traditional and advanced technologies such as milling, welding, 3D printing, computer numerical control and robotics. Launch focuses on taking products to the marketplace through market research, branding and web and e-commerce development.
Studio\Blu doesn’t simulate real-world projects; instead, it operates as a full-fledged business. Client projects are fee-based, and students work as employees under the direct guidance of experienced professional staff. The project variety allows students from disciplines across campus to take part, building work experience in their fields before graduation.
“These are workforce-ready students. They come from engineering, fine arts, graphic design, marketing, business – and they’re ready to go into the industry,” said McQ Olsen, TechHelp marketing manager. “The team managers coach their students and do an incredible job helping students apply their Studio\Blu experience to their resumes and show that the work they do is impacting companies in the real world.”
These students recently conducted consumer taste tests for a local tortilla company.
“Working on these consumer taste tests has been super valuable for myself and other students,” said Hannah Anderson, an MBA graduate assistant at Studio\Blu. “It’s given us a chance to see how customer feedback can shape products and how they go to market. I never expected to get this kind of experience in college, and it just shows how much Studio\Blu does for the Boise State community and beyond.”
From brick-and-mortar to mobile consumer testing lab
Food manufacturing plays a critical role in Idaho’s economy and large corporations benefit from comprehensive consumer research resources. However, small to mid-sized companies often lack access to such resources, instead relying on informal feedback. To bridge this gap, Studio\Blu introduced a consumer testing lab. Although they initially selected a physical site for a brick-and-mortar lab, budget constraints sparked an innovative idea: a mobile product testing center – or a ‘lab on wheels’ – designed to bring consumer testing directly to clients.
They found a food truck manufacturer located in Nampa, Idaho, and Studio\Blu students took the reins on building out the lab. They ideated the trailer layout and design, and coined the name “TRAIL Wagon” – a clever nod to the “trailblazing partnerships” pillar of Boise State’s strategic plan.
TechHelp’s work aligns with this concept through its partnerships with Idaho manufacturers, and the TRAIL Wagon, with TRAIL standing for “taste, research and insights lab,” embodies this approach. The “wagon” aspect emphasizes the trailer’s mobility and ties it to Idaho’s rich history and culture.
TRAIL Wagon’s debut and future potential
The trailer debuted at Boise Entrepreneur Week in September, in conjunction with the food-focused Trailmix Pitch Competition. The competition winner, dog treat company Idaho Barkery, received complimentary product research with Studio\Blu and plans to use the trailer for consumer packaging tests. Future TRAIL Wagon projects will include taste tests designed to study competitor products, recipe validations and shelf life tests.
“TechHelp’s mission is to serve small to medium-sized manufacturers, many of whom are in rural Idaho. Taking our mobile lab to them strengthens our connection with these communities, while also creating a valuable touchpoint for Boise State, especially for remote and first-generation students,” said Brad McDonald, TechHelp’s executive director. “We’re excited to bring the TRAIL Wagon, Boise State and TechHelp into rural markets, showcasing what we offer and unlocking the trailer’s full potential.”
And students can unlock their potential by getting involved with Studio\Blu.
“Student positions here are kind of a best-kept secret,” said Gary Tucker, Studio\Blu Launch group manager. “It’s a part-time job with super flexible hours, and they’re building work experience. It’s a level up from a purely academic project. These students can work on developing and marketing a product that shows up in the real world – and that’s a big deal.”
Studio\Blu has 15 to 20 student employees each year, and job openings are posted on Handshake. For more information about the studio, contact Catherine Cantley at catherinecantley@techhelp.org. For more about the Launch Group, contact Gary Tucker at garytucker@techhelp.org or visit studioblu.org.