Event Spotlight - Lippincott’s Snack Stop: Destress & Discover

Lippincott Library has been bringing a bit of flavor to stressed and hungry students by partnering with the Food Innovation Lab to bring “Snack Stops” to the library. Be sure to join our last Snack Stop of the semester on May 1. Read on for more information!

Starting in December 2024, Lippincott Library has hosted 6 teams of Penn student entrepreneurs, and they served delicious samples that attracted over 200 students, faculty, and staff across our first 2 events. With turnouts that exceeded expectations, the snacks were devoured down to the last crumb.

Penn students were able to take a break from their studies, try something new, and give meaningful feedback to the student entrepreneurs. All six student entrepreneur teams reported their excitement to take what they learned from the event and bring it back into the kitchen.

Our first Snack Stop event took place at the end of the Fall 2024 semester, and we held our most recent Snack Stop on Monday, March 3. The innovative student entrepreneurs dishing up samples in March were:

• Krokka – These crunchy peanut bites bring you a satisfying crunch with real ingredients — no artificial nonsense, just pure goodness. Created by Premsun Durai Rajesh (WG '25) with Nancy Pretty Sargunam
• Pop Tofu - Crispy, savory tofu nuggets packed with over 30g of protein per serving. Created by Sneha Mokkala (W '25)  
• Zeni - ZenBroth Powder, an easy, everyday wellness condiment that supports gut health and overall well-being, inspired by Eastern food therapy. Created by Xiaofeng “Jessica” Zhu (GSE ’26)

Note: These descriptions are adapted from information provided by the student entrepreneur teams.

What the Student Entrepreneurs Said:

Hosted in Lippincott Library, the event brought together library patrons and student entrepreneurs for firsthand reactions and one-on-one opportunities to discuss their products, which allowed for realistic and nuanced feedback. The teams were able to ask targeted questions and discuss spice levels, additional flavors, and more.

The student entrepreneurs were also able to practice their pitching skills, show off their packaging and marketing materials, and observe real-time, in-person reactions to supplement the surveys they administered throughout the event. The teams used this opportunity to generate interest in their products and understand what potential customers were interested in.

Here’s what they had to say:

• "The event was a great way to connect, get feedback, and, of course, enjoy some delicious treats! Being part of such a diverse and innovative lineup was truly inspiring!" – Nancy Pretty Sargunam from Krokka
• "I love how the library is supporting student entrepreneurship, while also being able to provide a snack break for students who are studying for midterms." - Sneha Mokkala (W '25) from Pop Tofu
• “I really appreciate Lippincott Library helping student ventures—not only by looking for information, but also giving them opportunities to show their venture is feasible.” – Xiaofeng “Jessica” Zhu (GSE ‘26)  from Zeni

Lauren Hooks, Manager of the Food Innovation Lab, had this to say:

“The Snack Stop events at Lippincott are a fantastic way for food lab students to gather real-world feedback on their product concepts. Testing assumptions during product development is a critical step. Feedback helps students identify patterns in responses that help them improve their products. Huge thanks to all the tasters for their honest responses!”

Still Hungry?

Join us on Thursday, May 1st, 2025 for our last Snack Stop of the semester! From 4 PM – 5:30 PM, the business library will host both new and returning student entrepreneurs bearing innovative snacks. Come unwind, share your feedback, and discover how the business library supports creativity and innovation at Penn. Check out the teams and register here. 

Looking to learn about entrepreneurship in the food and beverage space?

Check out Lippincott Library’s research guide for the Food and Beverage Industry.   

Dive deeper: Lippincott Library has business research guides to help you find company information, business analytics, consumer behavior, and more. You can always search the library catalog for additional resources.

Food Innovation Lab @ Venture Lab

The Food Innovation Lab at Venture Lab supports students interested in food entrepreneurship. If you are exploring launching a food product, opening a restaurant, or working to solve a problem related to food, you’re eligible to use the kitchen.

Want information on the Food Innovation Lab @ Venture Lab?   
Contact Lauren Hooks, the Food Innovation Lab Manager, at lhooks@wharton.upenn.edu.

Have more questions? Want to connect with the library? 

Visit the Lippincott Library webpage to ask a question or schedule a consultation with a librarian. 

Other ways to get in touch:

Email:    
lippincott@wharton.upenn.edu 

Phone:   
215-898-5924

Location:   
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 2nd floor   
3420 Walnut Street   
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206