California Ag Network

Tag: Inc.

  • Petit Pot Takes $100,000 Grand Prize at 2024 Real California Milk Excelerator

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and VentureFuel announced Petit Pot as the grand prize winner in the 2024 Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator product innovation competition. The award was presented during the Future of Dairy Expo and Final Pitch Event on November 14th in San Ramon, CA, where four new finalists were also selected to compete for the 2025 grand prize.

    This competitive program is designed to drive value-added dairy innovation using California milk, ultimately strengthening the industry by providing startups with access to sustainably produced milk as well as resources, expertise, and non-dilutive funding to grow their businesses. As the winner of the 2024 RCM Excelerator, Petit Pot will receive $100,000 worth of marketing support from the CMAB to continue scaling their dairy-based desserts in California and beyond.

    Through the Real California Milk Excelerator, early-stage companies are able to leverage the power of Real California Dairy through access to:

    • Tailored content and resources specific to the dairy industry, including access to quality, sustainably sourced milk
    • Mentorship from leading experts across product development, marketing, distribution, and sales
    • Extensive exposure to industry stakeholders

    Petit Pot was one of four finalists in the 2023 RCM Excelerator event. The company was selected for its innovation in product packaging with the introduction of a paper dessert cup to further drive its commitment to sustainability. Since being selected for the 2023 cohort, founder Maxime Pouvreau has scaled up production in California and demonstrated his company’s tremendous potential for growth. The CMAB selected the company as the Grand Prize Winner based on the company’s $2MM+ in retail sales over a one-year period and rapidly expanding presence through 6,000 stores across the country. The $100,000 grand prize will provide marketing support for initiatives like on-pack promotions, digital and instant redeemable coupons, product sampling, and in-store signage to further drive brand awareness.

    Headquartered in Emeryville, Calif, Petit Pot was founded by French-born pastry chef Maxime Pouvreau and specializes in single-serve gourmet desserts crafted with dairy and other organic ingredients.  The company has seen rapid growth since it first participated in the Excelerator’s snack-focused competition in 2020.

    “We’re thrilled for Petit Pot to be recognized as the top choice in this year’s Real California Milk Excelerator competition,” said Maxime Pouvreau, Petit Pot’s Founder. “Wellness-focused snacking is on the rise, and more people are looking for indulgent, yet balanced, options. Petit Pot offers a rich, creamy treat that satisfies those cravings without compromise. With the CMAB’s support, we look forward to bringing our French-inspired desserts to even more people across the country.”

    The Real California Milk Excelerator was established by CMAB to drive transformational growth for innovative dairy products that can deliver value both to consumers and to the dairy community. At a time when venture funding for food and beverage startups has slowed, programs like the Excelerator play a crucial role in bridging the gap for high-potential food and beverage startups.

    “Innovation is the lifeblood of any brand and any product category. Our continued investment in amplifying products in the value-added space supports the sustainability of our industry while providing consumers with more options for tapping into the unique benefits that come from only real milk and dairy,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB.

    At the 2024 Future of Dairy Expo, attendees also experienced product tastings and exhibitions from 20+ pioneering dairy startups, and witnessed the selection of four new finalists chosen by the CMAB from this year’s incubator cohort during the live pitch event:

    • Pluff, a fluffy protein dessert with high nutritional value, represented by its founder, Dylan Paul;
    • Projo*, an instant coffee blend infused with dairy and collagen, represented by Charbel Mawad, founder and CEO;
    • Smearcase, a cottage-cheese-based ice cream, represented by founder and CEO, Joe Rotondo;
    • And Todo, a meal replacement shake with a balanced nutritional content, represented by founder, Niket Soni.

    “The passion and creativity we’ve seen from this year’s Grand Prize Winner and Finalists exemplify the bold future of California dairy,” said Fred Schonenberg, CEO of VentureFuel. “From sustainable practices to breakthrough flavors, these founders are redefining what dairy can be. We’re thrilled to support their journeys as they open new possibilities and help drive California’s dairy industry’s continued growth and innovation.”

    The event offered industry stakeholders an opportunity to engage with products poised to shape the future of dairy, while also showcasing the commitment of California’s dairy farmers to sustainable practices.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com,Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and Pinterest.

    About VentureFuel, Inc.

    Founded in 2014, VentureFuel is an independent innovation advisory that helps the world’s best organizations ignite change through startup collaborations. Its innovation programs include Diagnostics, Corporate Accelerators and Commercial Pilots; and focus on solving clients’ biggest challenges by driving greater efficiencies; closing strategic capability gaps; and identifying emerging business models. VentureFuel provides organizations like Hershey’s, Comcast, Dick’s Sporting Goods, AARP Foundation and the State of California the tools to drive transformative change with less risk, more speed, and greater proximity to the consumer than traditional innovation models. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram. You can listen to The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast on Apple, Spotify, Simplecast or wherever you get your podcasts.

  • California Dairies, INC. To Acquire DairyAmerica

    California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), the largest dairy farmer-owned cooperative in California, announced today that it has agreed to acquire DairyAmerica, effective January 1, 2023.

    DairyAmerica, a globally recognized supplier of quality and sustainable dairy ingredients, is a federated cooperative currently co-owned by CDI, Agri-Mark, Inc., and O-AT-KA Milk Products. As part of the acquisition, CDI will purchase the ownership rights currently held by Agri-Mark, Inc. and O-AT-KA Milk Products, making DairyAmerica a wholly owned subsidiary of CDI.

    “This investment in DairyAmerica provides the opportunity for CDI to unlock significant synergies and represents another step towards improving efficiencies in providing world markets with high quality dairy ingredients,” said Brad Anderson, president and chief executive officer of California Dairies, Inc.

    Under the new structure, DairyAmerica will continue to market milk powders produced by Agri-Mark, Inc. and O-AT-KA Milk Products. These marketing agreements will allow for the continued multi-origin and sustainable supply benefits currently enjoyed by DairyAmerica.

    “We continue to support the Dairy America vision,” said William Schreiber, chief executive officer of O-AT-KA Milk Products.

    “We are pleased to be a part of this transition and have seen the benefits of DairyAmerica’s transformation under its new leadership the past two years,” said David Lynn, interim chief executive officer at Agri-Mark, Inc.

    DairyAmerica will remain under the leadership of Patti Smith, chief executive officer, and the DairyAmerica office will remain in Fresno, CA.

    “As we continue to transform our business, this investment by CDI provides the framework to focus on our people and processes while strengthening our global competitiveness,” said Patti Smith, chief executive officer of DairyAmerica.

    About

    California Dairies, Inc., is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing approximately 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by more than 300 dairy producers who ship nearly 17 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery. California Dairies, Inc.’s quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on CDI, visit www.CaliforniaDairies.com.

    DairyAmerica, Inc. is a federated marketing cooperative founded in 1995 and serves to market quality dairy products regionally, nationally, and internationally to its ever-expanding and diverse customer base. For additional information on DairyAmerica, Inc., visit www.DairyAmerica.com.

  • USDA COVID-19 Food Assistance Program to Support Farmers

    Summary

    By Schramm, Williams & Associates, Inc. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the $19 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to support farmers and ranchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is comprised of two major elements: direct payments to farmers and ranchers and commodity purchase and distribution.

    • Direct Payments Program – Provides $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.
    • Purchase and Distribution Program – $3 billion of agricultural products, including meat, dairy, and produce will be purchased to support producers and provided food to those in need. USDA will work with local food and regional distributors to deliver food to food banks, as well as community and faith-based organization to provide food to those in need.

    CFAP uses funding authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), USDA’s existing CCC funding, and Section 32 authority.

    Direct Assistance Program

    Source of Funds

    This program is funded using the $9.5 billion emergency program secured in the CARES Act and $6.5 billion in Credit Commodity Corporation (CCC) funding.

    Payment Allocations

    USDA will provide $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers including:

    • $2.1 billion for specialty crops producers
    • $500 million for others crops

    Payment Calculations

    Producers will receive a single payment determined using two calculations:

    1. Price losses that occurred January 1 – April 15, 2020.
    2. Producers will be compensated for 85% of price loss during that period.
    3. The expected losses from April 15 through the next two quarters.
    4. Will cover 30% of expected losses.

    Limitations

    • The payment limit is $125,000 per commodity with an overall limit of $250,000 per individual or entity.
    • Qualified commodities must have experienced a 5% price decrease between January and April.

    Expected Timeframe

    Program Sign-up: Beginning in Early May

    Payment Distribution: End of May or early June

    Food Purchase and Distribution Program

    Commodity Procurement

    It will begin with the procurement of an estimated:

    • $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables;
    • $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products;
    • $100 million per month in meat products.

    Distribution

    The distributors and wholesalers will provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

    Additional Food Purchasing

    In addition to the two targeted programs, USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need.

    • USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs.
    • The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability.

     

    Further details regarding eligibility, rates, and other implementation will be released at a later date.