When two university students called in an order for 1,000 two-tablet packets of Advil Cold & Sinus to a general merchandise wholesaler, the company raised an eyebrow at the students’ intentions.
But the two MBA students, Shahzad Shaikh and Nicolas Gompf, were just trying to capitalize on the national flu shot shortage by developing their own flu survival kits, which went on sale Monday in the Union Shop.
The kit includes one Vicks reusable thermometer, Germ-X antibacterial hand sanitizer, two packets of Good Earth Tea for Flu, Mott’s applesauce and other flu remedies.
The idea for the Flu Survival Kit came from a brainstorming exercise at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, a branch of the business school that supports student and local community business ventures.
The two students ran with the idea after it was brought up at a meeting of about 18 MBA students to discuss market trends.
Flu shots have been in short supply since October, after the Chiron Corp. in England cut the supply of vaccines to the United States because of contaminated samples. The students decided to exploit the current problem and met with Dingman Center Director Asher Epstein to develop the product.
They surveyed students, faculty and University Health Center Director Sacared Bodison to determine the essential components for the kit, which costs $15.
“It is easy and fast to get,” Gompf said. “It is a cheaper alternative to what you would find in the market. If it is difficult for students to go outside of campus, they may find this a good opportunity to find everything they need to get healthy again.”
But they said it was not the money that sparked their interest in developing the kit.
“Profit was last on the list,” Shaikh said. “We have been negotiating with suppliers, the Union Shop. We really gained a lot of experience here for our careers.”
Shaikh and Gompf placed an order for 31 kits.
“Right now we are focusing on selling it on campus. We plan to purchase between 500 and 1,000 more units,” Shaikh said. “We have investors who are interested in selling it to companies and nursing homes. That’s really our next phase, to go outside campus.”
