California dairy competitors looking for innovators

TRACY, CALIF. – The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) mentioned the Actual California Milk Excelerator competitors is returning for its fifth yr.

This system, created in partnership with innovation advisory VentureFuel, is looking for merchandise that make the most of dairy in an modern approach, whether or not it’s for meals, drinks, private care merchandise, packaging, materials sciences, textiles, pet merchandise or another inventive venture. The one stipulation is {that a} product should be made with at the least 50% dairy.

Competitors organizers mentioned they use an open strategy to encourage innovation throughout product classes and spotlight dairy’s versatility.

The Actual California Milk Excelerator this yr will award as much as $500,000 in prize cash and program worth “for merchandise that introduce novel functions in any type and drive utilization” of California dairy. 

“This system has grown and advanced over the past 5 years as we have had the pleasure of bringing some attention-grabbing, modern and scrumptious merchandise to the market utilizing milk from our California dairy households,” mentioned John Talbot, chief govt officer of CMAB. “What hasn’t modified is our deal with creating the longer term for dairy product innovation in no matter type that takes. Actual dairy continues to be a horny device for product builders, with purposeful and sensible advantages exhausting to duplicate. The enterprise perception, contacts and instruments this program provides, together with the advertising energy of the Actual California Milk seal, makes this a golden alternative for manufacturers.”

Because the competitors was established, 45 startups have labored with this system, overlaying classes similar to meals, beverage, direct-to-consumer platforms, textiles and private care. A number of the program’s alumni have gone on to work with organizations similar to UNFI and KeHE, with merchandise now accessible at retailers together with Walmart, Safeway, Kroger, Amazon and Complete Meals.

Eight contributors can be chosen for the 2023 cohort, and organizers mentioned every can be supplied with a gaggle stipend and a community of sources. A mentorship program is also concerned, with entry to “profitable founders, traders, main company executives and specialists throughout design, advertising, gross sales, manufacturing, distribution, farming and processing industries.”

At a dwell pitch occasion in November, 4 of the contributors will obtain $30,000 to develop their product, with one firm ultimately being awarded one other $100,000 as a grand prize by establishing a presence in California and demonstrating the best potential inside the closing 12 months of the competitors.

The deadline to use is July 7. An utility and extra details about this yr’s competitors is obtainable on-line at https://information.venturefuel.web/rcmexcelerator.

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