Inaugural Lindner Marketing Case Competition Crowns Winners

This spring, Questrom launched the Lindner Marketing Case Competition, drawing more than 170 participating students as another stellar opportunity to work with real-world clients. The inaugural Lindner Marketing Case Competition is proudly sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, shaping how millions shop for healthy food.

With cash prizes of $10,000, $6,000, and $4,000, 45 teams across undergraduate, specialized master’s, and MBA programs put fresh thinking into action. Round 1 kicked off in February, introducing Questrom students to a timely challenge: develop a strategic New England rollout for Sprouts.

Sprouts started out in the 1940s as a Farmer’s Market in San Diego. The first official Sprouts store opened in 2002, and today the Phoenix-based grocer employs more than 30,000 people nationwide. Known for serving vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free, and food-allergy households, Sprouts offers students a brand with both scale and mission.

The Challenge

The competition is made possible through the generosity of donors Mark and Debbie Lindner. After researching institutions across the Northeast, they chose Boston University Questrom School of Business because its mission—to create value for the world—aligned closely with their own philanthropic vision and desire to invest in the next generation of business leaders.

Mark Lindner currently leads an elite program at San Diego State University (SDSU), Fowler Scholars, along with being a full-time lecturer in the Fowler School of Business for both MBA and undergraduate students. Prior to retiring, Mark spent 35 years in the consumer products industry with both Molson Coors and Mark Anthony Group. His roles included building a national import and craft team and overseeing one of the largest operating divisions within Molson Coors.

Jackie Coffey, VP of Sprouts, and Professor Susan Jung Grant curated a comprehensive marketing brief regarding Sprouts’ expansion into the New England market. In addition to the brief, students actively developed their own independent research plans.

The Competition Journey

All 45 teams competed in a preliminary judging round, receiving timely and valuable input from Boston business leaders and passionate Questrom faculty. Despite strong work, only five teams made it to the final round of judging. The 40 teams not chosen for the finals presented unique insights and good recommendations that any Chief Marketing Officer would be proud to implement.

The Final Five teams competed for the $20,000 prize pool by presenting their insights and recommendations to highly accomplished business leaders, receiving real-time feedback in a boardroom atmosphere.

Panel of Judges:

• Jackie Coffey, Vice President, Marketing, Media & Performance, Sprouts Farmers Market
• Glen Thornborough, President, TD Garden and Chief Operating Officer, Boston Bruins
• Shore Gregory, CEO & Co-Founder, Row 34 Restaurant Group
• Edward Rich, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Client
• Saba Solomon, Vice President, Relationship Manager, J.P. Morgan Private Client
• Mark Lindner, Director, Fowler Scholars Program, Professional Development – MBA & Undergraduate

The judges were “blown away” by the detailed research, strong insights, strategic recommendations, and unique Big Ideas. They were especially impressed with the students’ use of generative AI to develop interactive maps and video content. Every judge felt that each team would add value to their organization today.

The Winners

After a competitive final round, the winners were announced:

1st Place ($10,000): Sunstoppables

• Warissara Weerasenee
• Nichanat Suthamnirand
• Johnny Koo
• Hannah Lemon

2nd Place ($6,000): Call to Action

• Lakshita Chigulury
• Mirabel Alsu Bayazit
• Theodora Kachrimanidi
• Catalina Lopez Allen

3rd Place ($4,000): Sproutlings

• Parth Shah
• Vivian Fletcher
• Suraj Nellore

A Note of Gratitude

Mark Lindner shared his appreciation for the Questrom community:

Questrom students are future business leaders!! We look forward to next year’s competition! Debbie & I chose to create and develop this marketing competition at Questrom due to its leadership, faculty & students. Questrom over-delivered and now we understand and appreciate their tagline of “Doers Not Divas”!!

Thank You, Susan James Leyva & Caroline O’Connor, for ensuring the actual events (preliminary & final judging) along with social media content and collateral materials were first class! Thank You to Sue Grant, Jackie Coffey and the entire Sprouts team (Nick Konat, Mandy Rassi) for presenting a real-world challenge that drove the students’ passion for this competition.

The Lindner Marketing Case Competition represents Questrom’s commitment to experiential learning, where students test ideas in real markets, receive feedback from senior industry leaders, and build the confidence to lead.

The competition will return in Spring 2027.

Written By: Leslie Garcia