McGill Desautels MBA team wins Retail Innovation Challenge
A team of McGill Desautels MBA students has won the 2025 Retail Innovation Challenge, earning the $10,000 grand prize for their innovative business solution for Mandy’s Gourmet Salads.
The MBA team, Clara Homsi, Rosemarie Cianci, Sam Eddy, Eric Del Balso, and Maria Jose Amorocho Albornoz, stood out among more than 40 teams from universities across Canada.
Through three competition phases, students benefited from mentorship by EY professionals and feedback from industry and academic leaders. On November 1, finalist teams presented to judges from EY, Mandy’s, and the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), with the MBA team winning for creativity, analytical depth, and practical impact.
Hosted by McGill’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management, the challenge invites students to solve real-world business problems faced by leading food retailers. This year’s participating companies included Bassé Nuts, Distillerie Le Grand Dérangement, and Mandy’s Gourmet Salads.
