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St Paul’s Collegiate students, from left, Emma Lobb, Lucy O’Meeghan, Mackenzie Lenton.
Once again, the sharp minds at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton were the 2023 Young Innovator of the Year Winner at Fieldays.
As part of the curriculum, the winning student group were placed in the top three of the school’s version of the Shark Tank TV series. The St Paul’s 2023 Crocodile Pit sees students put to the test to create a new agri-business product and service and learn the process of pitching innovation and business strategy.
CAPRA Skin, conceived, designed and manufactured by Lucy, Emma, Mackenzie and Lochie, is a specially formulated goat’s milk lip balm. Early in the process, the group realised that the core ingredient offered many natural benefits including vitamin A, fatty acids and moisturising agents, alongside the other main ingredients of kawakawa oil and bee venom which have cell regeneration qualities.
Looking at the broader reasons for developing the lip balm, the team recognised that many teenagers suffer from acne and use medication to clear up the problem. Unfortunately, a major side effect is drying out and eventually cracking of the lips. The youngsters looked at the current lip balm market and couldn’t find a lip balm that was targeted specifically targeted towards teenagers with dry and cracked lips.
From a development perspective and wanting to incorporate New Zealand ingredients, the group have decided to use kawakawa oil which is a native to New Zealand. The ingredient is non-greasy, helps heal skin conditions and seals wounds, while also restoring hydration, and reducing itching and redness.
On the marketing front, they decided to call the product Capra Skin, the name originating from the Latin word for goat, which in turn is a more recently used acronym for the greatest of all time (GOAT), which is the impression they want customers to feel after using the product.
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