The first Barket is set to be hosted in the Bay of Plenty – and dog-lovers are invited to gather in the Mount for the canine-product market hosted by eager business studies students.
More than 30 groups of Year 12-13 Mount Maunganui College students will launch their businesses at the market, in conjunction with The Little Big Markets at Coronation Park on Saturday, July 19.
The dog market, or “Barket” as it has affectionately been called, was thought up by Mount Maunganui College business studies teacher Kent Fenneman to bring all students’ projects together.
The students’ projects involved creating a business plan for a dog-related business to launch at the school’s new market, which teacher Angela Young said they hope to hold annually.
Nothing like it
One of the 35 groups included students Corban Willson, Cooper Everett, Ollie Breed, Mac Ewing and Trent Easton, who created a product they call “Dogodorant Spray” – a scented mist to spray on canine to neutralise their smell.
Mount Maunganui College year 13 student Corban Willson with his team’s ‘Dogodorant Spray’. Photo / Brydie Thompson
“I thought of the idea because I’ve never seen anything like it and there’s always that smell that comes off dogs,” said group member Corban Willson. “I thought it would be nice to make a product that can neutralise that.”
The product, which will be sold at the Barket for $10 per bottle, comes in three scents – “Sleepy Pup” with lavender and chamomile, “Floral Blend” with lavender and frankincense, and “Woodland Fresh” with cedar wood and frankincense. “People can be assured that it’s natural,” said Willson. “I did a lot of research.”
The group had promoted their business on social media, and engagement received had given them confidence going into the Barket.
Mount Maunganui College year 13 students Corban Willson, 18, Cooper Everett, 18, and Ollie Breed, 17, with their product, ‘Dogodorant Spray’. Photo / Brydie Thompson
They will go to the market with a stock of 104 bottles, three of which will be used as testers.
As part of their project, the group has to sell at two other markets with money earned covering manufacturing costs and expenses of the market stalls. Whatever profit was left would go into the students’ savings accounts ready for university next year.
Uni savings
“We want to try and get as many customers as we can and try to retain them across the markets,” said group member Cooper Everett. “We don’t want them to just be a one-time purchase and to help that we have made loyalty cards. If you buy three [bottles], you get one free. If people buy one every market, by the third market they’ll essentially buy one get one free.”
Local dog Charlie gets a whiff of the ‘Dogodorant Spray’. Photo / Brydie Thompson
The boys are all off to university next year to continue their business studies education in finance, marketing and commerce.
The Barket will be held in conjunction with The Little Big Markets on Saturday, July 19, from 9am-2pm at Coronation Park.
Mount Maunganui College Barket Market will be held at Coronation Park along with The Little Big Markets on Saturday, July 19. Photo / Brydie Thompson
Other groups have designed businesses such as “Pup-arazzi” dog clothing and crocs for dogs with jibbitz accessories.