Midwest Dairy Accelerator connects brands, consumers, farmers

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — While dairy staples like cheddar cheese, skim milk and Greek yogurt are on many grocery lists, ever-changing food trends, health priorities and allergens continue to influence purchases. As consumers look for more protein or healthier ways to eat, dairy companies are working to ensure there’s something on shelves for everyone, including six startups that presented innovative products designed to drive demand at the Midwest Dairy Accelerator Final Pitch Event.

“Our job is to build trust, drive demand and challenge real opportunities for dairying,” Michelle Watson, vice president of research and innovation at Midwest Dairy, said. “Everything we do begins with our farmers.”

Hosted by Midwest Dairy in partnership with innovation advisory firm VentureFuel, the Midwest Dairy Accelerator is a 10-week online program that provides mentorship, connections and resources to six early-stage entrepreneurs. Starting July 6, the companies were able to meet with industry leaders, expand their commercial knowledge, receive personalized brand messaging and master their pitches.

Using the new skills and lessons learned, the finalists gathered on the last day of the program, Sept. 16, at Green Acres Event Center near Eden Prairie to present their products in a live pitch competition. Each company was evaluated on current and potential revenue, originality, scalability, total market potential, consumer appeal and team quality.

“We want to make sure (the product) is something that could really scale up and drive volume ultimately for the farmers, which is why we’re all here,” Fred Schonenberg, CEO of VentureFuel, said. “We have to indulge in it, and that’s because dairy is such a super platform and food to grow.”

Among the finalists, products ranged from ice cream and cheese to dips and froyo. Taking home the $20,000 grand prize was Disco Cow, founded by Kate Colehour in Chicago.

Disco Cow whips cottage cheese into spreads and dips in flavors like queso, lemon basil, chocolate and original, containing no curds and 9 grams of protein per serving. Colehour said the money will go toward larger production plans with a co-manufacturer, which will supply more dips for retail sales.

“The No. 1 thing I hear from people on why they don’t eat cottage cheese is because of the texture,” Colehour said. “Disco Cow removes that exact barrier, and the timing couldn’t be better. After years of relatively flat consumption, cottage cheese sales were up … over 14% in 2025, driven by consumers looking for convenient, high-protein and clean-ingredient foods.”

By transforming cottage cheese into smooth dips, Disco Cow is creating another way for consumers to eat the product, utilizing 2.5 pounds of milk per unit. For Colehour, changing the texture of cottage cheese is not just about creating a new snack; it’s about bringing in new dairy customers.

Co-founders Ritu Sreenivasan and Munveer Rihal of Chicago-based MOOJ Foods were runners up, receiving $10,000 after introducing a modern take on paneer — an unaged, non-melting South Asian cheese that is versatile and high in protein.

“You cook paneer the exact same way that you can cook meat, and it’s completely vegetarian,” Sreenivasan said. “It has the same amount of protein as a chicken breast, and better yet, it’s only four clean ingredients with ultra-filtered milk being the base ingredient.”

Rihal said their paneer provides a clean-label, high-protein alternative to hyper-processed plant-based meat substitutes, drawing in vegetarian consumers.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, managing partner of Drippy Dip in Saginaw, Michigan, highlighted their shelf-stable cheese dips crafted from real cheddar and made with clean ingredients free of seed oils, artificial flavors, dyes or preservatives. Owner Dana Cree of Chicago’s Pretty Cool Ice Cream presented gluten-free ice cream pops using premium dairy ingredients, unique flavor pairings and award-winning pastry skills.

The fourth business from Chicago, (P)RiND, offers high-protein cheese pops made from only seasonings and upcycled 16-month-aged Parmesan rinds. This utilizes thousands of pounds of milk weekly while making the snack naturally lactose- and gluten-free, said founder Matteo Caoia. Veronica Tessler, founder, co-owner and CEO of Yotopia in Iowa City, presented gut-healthy, probiotic-rich frozen yogurt. She also showcased her local supply chain ties through Country View Dairy of Iowa.

“Our partnership with Country View Dairy means so much,” Tessler said. “Their yogurt is more than an ingredient to us — it’s the foundation of the brand that we’re building. They’re central to our ability to scale, and our ability to grow impacts Midwest dairy.”

After pitches, guests were able to visit with founders to learn more about the products and try some samples; chips were dipped in queso and spreads, cheese pops were inhaled and decadent desserts melted in mouths.

Daniel Rehal, runner-up of last year’s Midwest Dairy Accelerator, also shared his experience with finalists as judges deliberated. Despite not winning the top prize, Rehal said his company, Zoguri, a yogurt-based probiotic supplement, has found major success after being a part of the program.

“It was incredible,” Rehal said. “What was critical about the experience was going through the process and learning insights that I would not have learned.”

By hosting the yearly program, Midwest Dairy is supporting entrepreneurs and product innovation while impacting farmers by expanding demand, opening new markets and unlocking more uses for dairy. The 2026 finalists and their products represent the versatility of dairy along with the importance of using creativity to produce unique opportunities. This experience also provided them with insight and feedback on how to improve products, grow a following, advertise the brand and expand into new markets.

“What excites me about this program is not just what happens today; it’s what happens next: the connections that continue, the feedback that includes your product and the introductions that create opportunities,” Watson said.