The room feels less like a classroom and more like a product war room. Across teams and disciplines, students move quickly between ideas and execution. Brand positioning gives way to distribution strategy, with flavor concepts alongside cost models and capacity plans. What begins as product innovation is shaped by research, marketing, supply chain and financial reality.
That is the environment created through a new cross-functional experience with Anheuser-Busch, centered on Phorm Energy, a fast-growing energy drink brand. Anheuser-Busch turned to the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business for its reputation in connecting education to real business impact, presenting a challenge that spans disciplines and mirrors enterprise-level complexity. The Walton College embraced it without hesitation, with results that reflect both the opportunity and the strength of the model.
“This interdisciplinary Phorm Energy project showed what’s possible when strong strategic collaboration comes to life in a mutually beneficial real-world project,” said John Shipp, head of talent acquisition and connections at Anheuser-Busch. “The University of Arkansas students didn’t just turn in an assignment — they delivered thoughtful, actionable ideas aligned to our strategic goals. We’re excited for future collaborations.”
Students tackled brand questions tied to Phorm Energy, exploring how to grow its consumer base, develop new flavors, and build a full-year activation strategy to drive growth and trial. The work then moved into supply chain, where teams translated ideas into operational execution through launch strategies, distribution planning and investment models.
The result is not a classroom exercise but a roadmap connecting brand vision to operational execution. It delivers real insight for Anheuser-Busch and hands-on experience that mirrors modern business. More broadly, it reflects how the Walton College operates within one of the world’s most concentrated business ecosystems, anchored by Walmart and hundreds of Fortune 500 supplier offices across Northwest Arkansas. That environment gives companies a direct way to engage students in meaningful, high-impact work.
More importantly, the project reflects where modern business education is headed: immersive, cross-functional experiences that prepare students to navigate complexity, move ideas into execution and contribute from day one.