Real California Milk Excelerator Launches 2025 Cohort

TRACY, Calif. – The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), in partnership with VentureFuel, announced the 14 companies selected to participate in the seventh annual Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator and Incubator programs.

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. Each track features seven companies providing access to programming, mentorship and stipends to help accelerate company and product growth, said CMAB. 

This year’s Excelerator cohort companies showcase how brands are leveraging the natural benefits of real dairy to meet today’s consumer demands, said CMAB.

The 2025 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 to support skin health and joint wellness.
• King Cheese’s Spirella Minis (Monrovia, Calif.): Hand-crafted artisanal meat and Oaxaca cheese rolls.
• Mavens Creamery (San Jose, Calif.): Asian-inspired 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 nutrition and taste with high 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 include: 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, said CMAB. 

"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," said Bob Carroll, CEO of CMAB. "This year’s cohort represents exactly what today’s consumers are looking for — products that deliver wellness, indulgence, and sustainability.”

The program will culminate in December at a 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.

“For seven years, the Excelerator has been the launchpad turning dairy innovation into real-world sales,” said Fred Schonenberg, founder and CEO of VentureFuel. “By connecting early-stage brands with the right buyers, investors and mentors, we’ve helped bold new products not just get to market — but thrive. This year’s expanded program goes further, fueling commercialization at every stage of growth. The goal is simple: drive demand, create tangible business results and unlock the full market potential of California dairy.”