BROOKLYN, NY. — Six finalists were selected to participate in the second New York MilkLaunch startup competition.
The pitch event is produced by the New York State Dairy Promotion Order and innovation consultancy VentureFuel with the goal to drive demand for dairy products among 10- to 23-year-olds. Each finalist will receive a $10,000 stipend to support new product development and mentorship from global experts in retail, dairy and consumer products.
Participating brands will pitch to a panel of judges on Aug. 25 in a live-streamed virtual event, and the winner will be awarded $150,000 worth of support to accelerate the launch of the new product in the market.
“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 are:
- True Scoops, a maker of shelf-stable ice cream and topping mixes
- Mochidoki, a brand of premium mochi ice cream
- Elite Sweets, a creator of low-sugar, gluten-free donuts formulated with protein from milk and eggs
- Creme and Cocoa Creamery, a producer of Caribbean-inspired ice cream and sorbet
- Spylt, formerly Smack’d, a maker of a low-sugar, dairy-based chocolate energy drink
- Novel Foods, a producer of protein powder made with whey leftover from cheese and yogurt production and recovered nitrogen from dairy farm waste.
