One of College of the Ozarks' best known student-made products wins a readers choice award.

The details below from College of the Ozarks Public Relations:

The student-made apple butter made by the Fruitcake & Jelly Kitchen at College of the Ozarks won the First Place Voters Choice Award in Springfield Business Journal’s “2023 Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks.” It received the most votes in polling before the event, with 440 votes out of around 1,700 votes in the SBJ contest.

The student-made apple butter was chosen as one of 16 products to be a part of Springfield Business Journal’s “2023 Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks awards.” A committee of five chose the products based on the uniqueness, innovation, and economic impact of their products. There are nearly 6,900 manufacturing companies in the Ozarks, so to be chosen was an honor for the students working at the Fruitcake & Jelly Kitchen. The voting started March 17 and continued until April 12. This voting was made available to the public to determine who was given the top spot. The results were announced April 26.

“I am proud to be a part of a team that works to produce great quality products and quality students,” said Kiley Hutcheson, director of retail operations. “Our apple butter has been a fan favorite for a long time so, for it to be recognized in this fashion speaks volumes. We are so proud of our Fruitcake & Jelly Kitchen team of students and managers. We couldn’t have done it without them and the fantastic products they produce.”