As Demand for High Protein Foods Surges, Midwest Dairy Accelerator Selects Six Startups Driving Dairy Innovation

Cohort spans cottage cheese, yogurt, protein snacks, frozen treats and globally inspired dairy products as consumers increasingly seek high protein, functional foods.

MINNEAPOLIS, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Midwest Dairy, in partnership with VentureFuel, today announced the six companies selected for the second annual Midwest Dairy Accelerator, an intensive 10 week virtual program designed to help emerging food and beverage brands scale innovative products that use Midwest dairy as a key ingredient.

The selected startups reflect some of the fastest-growing trends in food and beverage, including high-protein snacking, yogurt-based functional foods, clean-label ingredients, premium frozen desserts, and globally inspired dairy products. The cohort was chosen from a highly competitive applicant pool across the Midwest and represents a new generation of entrepreneurs reimagining dairy's role in modern food innovation.

The timing is significant. According to Circana, dairy volume growth in 2025 was driven by value-added products that align with evolving consumer needs, particularly high-protein and yogurt-based offerings. Among the category's strongest performers, yogurt volume grew nearly 9%, while cottage cheese posted standout growth of nearly 15%. The six companies selected for this year's accelerator are developing products that tap directly into those trends while meeting consumer demand for great taste, convenience, nutrition, and functionality.

"Consumers are increasingly looking for foods that deliver more: more protein, more functionality, cleaner ingredients, and authentic experiences," said Corey Scott, CEO of Midwest Dairy. "The strong growth we're seeing in categories like yogurt and cottage cheese underscores the opportunity for founders who can create innovative products that meet those evolving needs while showcasing the versatility and nutritional value of real dairy. We're excited to help them accelerate their growth and bring new dairy-forward products to more consumers."

The 2026 Midwest Dairy Accelerator cohort includes:

Disco Cow (Chicago, Ill.) Founder Kate Colehour is reimagining cottage cheese through whipped, protein packed dips and spreads that combine convenience, flavor, and nutrition for everyday snacking occasions.

Drippy Dip (Saginaw, Mich.) Co-founder Ryan Fitzpatrick is reinventing cheese dip with a shelf-stable product made from real cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, featuring clean ingredients with no seed oils, artificial dyes, or unnecessary additives.

MOOJ Foods (Chicago, Ill.) Founder Ritu Sreenivasan is modernizing traditional paneer with a high protein, lower fat dairy product designed for everyday cooking across a wide range of cuisines and consumer preferences.

Pretty Cool Ice Cream (Chicago, Ill.) Founder Dana Cree creates chef driven gourmet frozen novelties featuring premium dairy ingredients, innovative flavors, and artisan craftsmanship inspired by her award-winning pastry background.

(P)RiND (Chicago, Ill.) Founder Matteo Caoia is redefining protein snacking with cheese pops made from just cheese and four simple ingredients, delivering 30 grams of protein in a naturally lactose free, gluten free format.

Yotopia (Iowa City, Iowa) Founder Veronica Tessler is bringing probiotic rich frozen yogurt to consumers with premium frozen desserts made from locally sourced dairy that deliver both indulgence and functional benefits.

Collectively, the cohort represents several of the most dynamic areas of food innovation, from protein forward snacks and functional frozen desserts to globally inspired dairy products and clean label convenience foods. Their products offer a glimpse into how consumers may engage with dairy in the years ahead.

Beginning this week, participants will gain access to workshops, one on one mentorship, and direct collaboration with leaders across the dairy ecosystem, including ingredient experts, processors, manufacturers, retailers, academics, and food industry executives. Programming will cover consumer insights, ingredients and innovation, manufacturing, distribution, retail strategy, marketing, and business pitching.

"What's especially exciting about this year's cohort is how effectively these founders are using dairy to address some of the biggest trends shaping food today; from protein and functionality to convenience and clean label ingredients," said Fred Schonenberg, Founder and CEO of VentureFuel. "The future of food belongs to entrepreneurs who can identify emerging consumer needs and quickly bring innovative solutions to market. We're proud to help these founders accelerate their growth and strengthen the next generation of dairy innovation."

The Midwest Dairy Accelerator also serves as an investment in the region's food innovation ecosystem, helping emerging businesses access industry expertise, strategic partnerships, and commercialization opportunities that can accelerate growth and create long term value throughout the dairy supply chain.

The program will culminate in a live pitch event on September 16, 2026, at the Green Acres Event Center, a historic barn event venue near Minneapolis in Eden Prairie, Minn. Finalists will present their businesses to a panel of industry experts and judges, with a $20,000 grand prize awarded to the winner and $10,000 awarded to the runner-up.

For more information and updates throughout the program, or to apply to attend this year's live pitch event, visit midwestdairyaccelerator.com.

About Midwest Dairy

Midwest Dairy represents 3,600 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in dairy products and production practices. Midwest Dairy is committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by giving consumers an excellent dairy experience and is funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com and follow Midwest Dairy on Facebook and YouTube.

About VentureFuel

VentureFuel helps established organizations accelerate growth through strategic startup partnerships. Powered by its repeatable Innovation Engine™, VentureFuel identifies, validates and commercializes emerging technologies, transforming innovation into measurable business outcomes in months instead of years. The company has facilitated more than 100 corporate-startup partnerships, unlocking more than $1 billion in enterprise value creation for clients. Learn more at venturefuel.net and listen to The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast wherever podcasts are available.

PR Contacts
Anna Walsh
A-Corner PR / VentureFuel
917-969-7081
[email protected]

Kayla Wiederin
Midwest Dairy
Communications Manager
[email protected]

SOURCE Midwest Dairy