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Assisting Missouri Businesses in Going Global – Spring 2024
Pictured (L-R, Front to Back): MU International Trade Center interns (Spring 2024) Aly Edwards, Shiloh Ehlert, Lauren Sherwood, Natalie Rush, Joshua Dean, Ryu Taggart, Samantha Elia, Sayed Zabiullah Sadat, Elaine Roberts, Jack Kish (Student Assistant), Andrew Deyoe Vergara, Josh Pitts, Brady Schroff, Charlie Dake, McKinley Hopkins, Aaron Alter, Derrick Tatum, Austin Brewer, Grant Novinger (Student Assistant)
Seventeen University of Missouri & Trulaske College of Business undergraduate students will be directing their time and talents this semester to help four small-to-medium sized companies based in Missouri grow their sales internationally. As interns with the MU International Trade Center, the students will be conducting global market research to assist the companies with new market identification and evaluation. All projects are tailored to the individual company’s product and industry sectors of interest. Interns gain valuable hands-on data analysis, project management and presentation experience, along with real-world insights into global trade. The participating companies likewise gain in-depth county and industry sector analysis that can be used to support and guide future decision-making regarding international market expansion opportunities. Companies working with the MU International Trade Center this semester include:
- J. Rieger & Company (Kansas City, Missouri) – a craft distillery founded by Jacob Rieger in 1887. Operations were shut down in 1919 due to the onset of federal Prohibition. The company was established in 2014 after nearly 100 years of inactivity, becoming the first legal distillery in Kansas City since Prohibition.
- Show-Me BBQ Sauce (Rocheport, Missouri) – a manufacturer of barbecue sauces and seasonings established for more than 50 years.
- Spoor Farms Popcorn (Martinsburg, Missouri) – a first-generation farmer who diversified their traditional crop production in 2018 to include popcorn, offering both Butterfly and Mushroom popping varieties.
- Sunnen Products (St. Louis, Missouri) – a global leader in honing, sizing and finishing solutions. With nearly 100 years’ experience in the industry, Sunnen has delivered the highest level of precision to customers all around the world.
The MU International Trade Center utilizes the time and talent of student interns and MU faculty, along with leading market research databases, to conduct customized research to meet your business needs. The research completed helps participating companies effectively evaluate global market opportunities in a timely, meaningful and affordable way. The goal of the MU International Trade Center is to promote economic development and aid in the international decision-making of Missouri businesses, while providing MU students, tomorrow’s business leaders, opportunities for experiential learning.