Brooklyn, NY – The New York State Dairy Promotion Order (NYSDPO) and VentureFuel, innovation consultancy and partner, announced today the finalists for this year’s New York MilkLaunch startup competition. The competition, which aims to fuel demand for dairy among Gen-Z (10-23 year olds), offers over $200,000 in total awards as well as elite mentorship to accelerate these innovative new products. The finalists are:
- True Scoops: shelf-stable ice cream and topping mixes crafted with the home user in mind for an easier ice cream making experience. No ice cream maker required – just add half & half, whisk, blend or churn and freeze.
- Mochidoki: premium mochi ice cream with elevated flavors, packaging, and ingredients.
- Elite Sweets: makers of a better-for-you donut that is delicious, keto-friendly, low sugar, gluten-free, and packed with protein from milk and eggs. Individually packaged for portion control and pre-glazed for your convenience.
- Creme and Cocoa Creamery: Brooklyn-born, Caribbean-inspired ice cream & sorbet. At Creme and Cocoa, they’re churning up fresh, small-batch ice cream in flavors that pay homage to their upbringing in the Caribbean.
- Spylt (formerly Smack’d): a creamy, low-sugar, dairy-based chocolate “Energy Drink” naturally loaded with vital nutrients like calcium, B vitamins, potassium, vitamin D, and protein. It’s beautifully designed and comes in an environmentally friendly aluminum 12 oz. can.
- Novel Foods: a protein powder upcycled from cheese whey or Greek yogurt whey, and recovered nitrogen from dairy farm waste. This high-protein powder comes in at nearly 75% protein and boasts an excellent amino acid profile while reducing the environmental impact of the dairy and yogurt industry.
The competition encourages entrepreneurs, startups, and existing companies to introduce exciting new dairy products to Gen-Z consumers. Innovations in traditional dairy – yogurt, liquid milk, butter as well as make-up, clothing, etc. with a focus on sustainability were sought for the contest. To support each finalist, a $10,000 stipend is provided for competitors to perfect their product via lab time, consumer insights, and research. Finalists will also receive mentorship from global experts in retail, dairy, and consumer products.
“Gen Z doesn’t want their parents’ dairy products, they want new and exciting options,” said Fred Schonenberg, Founder of VentureFuel. “This year’s competition is focused on future-proofing dairy for the next generation with incredibly innovative solutions that open up new demand.”
The finalists will pitch to a panel of expert judges on Thursday, August 25 in a live-streamed virtual event for the right to be named the winner of NY MilkLaunch, and will be awarded a grand prize of $150,000 worth of support to accelerate their new product in the market. Registration for the event on August 25th is available on the NY MilkLaunch landing page: nymilklaunch.com
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About VentureFuel, Inc.
Founded in 2014, VentureFuel is an independent innovation consultancy that builds innovation programs for industry leaders by unlocking the power of external innovation through startup collaboration. Its programs focus on changing behaviors and beliefs to unlock new sources of growth. VentureFuel provides senior leaders with the tools to drive transformative change within their organizations by opening their teams to new ways of working, products, services and routes to market. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast on Apple, Spotify or Simplecast.
About The New York State Dairy Promotion Advisory Board
The Dairy Promotion Advisory Board consists of ten New York milk producers appointed by the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, who serve a three-year term. The first New York State Dairy Promotion Advisory Board was appointed in May 1972 at the request of dairy producers. The board advises the Commissioner on the disposition of approximately $15 million a year in funds collected from milk producers under the producer approved DPO. It also makes recommendations on promotion and nutrition education programs and various dairy product and research projects. Learn more at https://agriculture.ny.gov/dairy/dairy-promotion-order.
