Real California Milk Names 14 Startups to 2025 Dairy Innovation Cohort

CMAB’s Excelerator and Incubator tracks spotlight clean-label, high-protein, sustainable and indulgent concepts shaping the next wave of dairy-based products

[ IMAGE COURTESY OF: The California Milk Advisory Board ]

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), in partnership with VentureFuel, announced the 14 companies selected to participate in the 7th Annual Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator and Incubator programs. One of the most active dairy innovation programs in the US, the Excelerator recently evolved into two tracks to support brands at various stages of growth: the Excelerator for growth-stage companies and an Incubator for earlier-stage products. This year, each track will feature seven companies providing access to programming, mentorship, and stipends to help accelerate company and product growth.

This year's Excelerator cohort companies showcase how brands are leveraging the natural benefits of real dairy to meet today's consumer demands. With products delivering on high protein, clean label, sustainability, and indulgence, the 2025 cohort reflects the growth and versatility of real dairy in fueling the next generation of food innovation.

The cohort includes:

- Foggy Bottom's Boys' Jersey Scoops (Loleta, Calif.) - Organic, lactose-free, carbon-negative farm-to-scoop ice cream with 16g of protein, crafted from A2 Jersey cow's milk by a sixth-generation North Coast dairy farm.
- Joseph Farms' String Cheese (Atwater, Calif.) - 99% lactose-free string cheese with 7g protein per stick.
- Kea Wellness (Huntington Beach, Calif.) - Shelf-stable, 100% natural liquid collagen creamers providing a delicious and convenient way to support skin health and joint wellness.
- King Cheese's Spirella Minis (Monrovia, Calif.) - Hand-crafted high-quality artisanal meat and Oaxaca cheese rolls.
- Mavens Creamery (San Jose, Calif.) - Asian-inspired indulgent ice cream made with rich, exotic ingredients in flavors like Thai Tea, Durian, and Black Sesame.
- Pioneer Pastures (Bozeman, MT) - Ultra Filtered, A2 whole milks crafted for superior nutrition and taste with higher protein and lower sugar for easier digestion.
- Sweet Craft Dessert Cups (Oceanside, Calif.) - Clean-label, Italian-inspired dessert cups in BPA-free packaging.

The seven companies selected for the Incubator track have products that highlight the next wave of dairy innovation: Clover Sonoma, Coney Island Creamery, Jonzo Inc.'s Frosty Cream Donut, Maazah, Marlene's Milk, Nalwaya Foods, and Proof Pudding. Their concepts range from compostable single-serve yogurt cups to functional puddings, aseptic Southeast Asian-inspired creamers, indulgent frozen donuts, probiotic-rich yogurt, and A2 ultra-filtered milkshakes.

"The Real California Milk Excelerator continues to push the boundaries of dairy innovation, and this years' cohorts showcase both market-ready products and bold early concepts. This year's cohort represents exactly what today's consumers are looking for — products that deliver wellness, indulgence, and sustainability."

-- Bob Carroll, CEO, The California Milk Advisory Board

The program will culminate in December at an exclusive pitch event in Napa, Calif where all seven Excelerator companies will present their businesses and products to a live judging panel. During this pitch event, four finalists will be selected to receive $30,000 in marketing support. Those four will then be tracked over the next 12 months for sales growth, competing for a $100,000 grand prize to be awarded in 2026. This year's event will also reveal the $100,000 winner from the 2024 Real California Milk Excelerator finalist group.