Checkoff’s New Product Competition Focuses on Calming Benefits

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) New Product Competition is accepting applications for innovative products that focus on dairy’s qualities related to calming.

The program, formerly the National Dairy Council New Product Competition, is open to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to develop products in line with industry and consumer insights to uncover innovative dairy-based products that offer calming benefits.

Research shows:

  • With a heightened emphasis on mental and emotional wellbeing, consumers are looking for products that calm.
  • There is projected growth associated with products that calm, and these benefits are of particular interest with Gen Z consumers.

Successful entries will meet competition criteria, demonstrate innovation and provide value to consumers. The judging panel includes experts from across the dairy industry and winning teams will be recognized at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting in Chicago next July.

The winning team will earn $8,000 with second place receiving $5,000 and $3,000 going to third place.

The competition provides a platform for students to bring their knowledge and expertise to dairy product innovation. Students can integrate their work on product formulation with packaging, pricing and marketing to create a product that meets consumer needs.

The deadline for submissions is Jan. 16, 2023. For information, visit www.usdairy.com/research-resources/new-product-competition or send an email to DMI’s Rohit Kapoor at rohit.kapoor@dairy.org.

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About Dairy Management Inc.

Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is funded by America’s nearly 31,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.