From bovine colostrum to cookie wafer ice cream: Winners of 5th Real California Milk Excelerator Revealed

The fifth edition of the Real California Milk Excelerator has unveiled four standout start-ups, showcasing a diverse range of dairy innovations. Additionally, two of last year's champions secured additional funding to further enhance their product development and marketing endeavors.

Among the winners is Amazing Ice Creams, the brains behind a novel cookie wafer ice cream bar, enrobed in chocolate to maintain its crispiness. Donald Anit, the founder of Amazing Ice Creams, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, emphasizing the inspiration drawn from witnessing the entire processing journey of California milk products. Anit sees the award as a gateway to endless possibilities in the dairy industry, fostering growth through new connections with processors, buyers, and partners.

Arbo's Cheese Dip, a non-California-based company crafting gluten-free, queso-style cheese dips, was the only firm outside California to receive a grant. Andrew Arbos, the CEO, expressed humility and enthusiasm for being recognized, stressing the importance of supporting California dairy farmers in their pursuit of a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Petit Pot, renowned for its French-style dairy desserts packaged in eco-friendly paper cups, secured a spot among the winners. Founder Maxime Pouvreau sees the award as a testament to the team's dedication and hard work. The funding will support Petit Pot's new paper cup desserts, marking an expansion into Publix and Target. Pouvreau looks forward to partnering with the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) to boost product awareness and the Real California Milk brand nationwide.

Completing the quartet of winners is WonderCow, a producer of all-natural bovine colostrum powder supplements promoting immunity, muscle recovery, and gut health. Founder Rob Diepersloot expressed gratitude for the invaluable experience gained through the CMAB cohort, emphasizing the collaborative relationships formed with like-minded entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry leaders. WonderCow aims to leverage these connections as the company grows, acknowledging the privilege of being part of California's innovative and sustainable dairy industry.

The winners, from left: Donald Anit, founder of Amazing lce Creams; Andrew Arbos, founder &CEO of Arbo's Cheese Dip: Maxime Pouvreau founder of Petit Pot: and Rob and Erica Dieperslootco-founders of WonderCow

John Talbot, CEO of CMAB, highlighted the competitive nature of this year's event, with each participant bringing unique offerings to the table. The event also introduced the inaugural Future of Dairy Expo, featuring products from 15 innovative startups and a panel discussing the impact of dairy innovations on retail sales and consumer behavior.

In a continuation of success stories, last year's champions, Dosa, creators of lassi fermented dairy beverages, and Wheyward Spirit, pioneers in upcycling whey into alcoholic beverages, received additional funding of $100,000 and $25,000, respectively. This fresh injection of funds will further fuel their commitment to pushing the boundaries of dairy product development and marketing efforts.