<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none;" alt="" src="https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=166924&amp;fmt=gif">
Skip to main content
Contact Us
CMAB 800x200-1
vfI

About The Event:

Join us in Pismo Beach for the 2026 Real California Milk Excelerator Final Pitch Event!

Sample products from emerging dairy brands.

Hear live pitches from this year’s cohort of eight founders, and discover which of them will advance as finalists.

We’ll also welcome last year’s finalists back to announce who has won the $100,000 Grand Prize.

When:
Thursday, December 10, 2026 
 
Time:
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM PT
 
Where:
 Pismo Beach, CA 
(Exact venue details will be provided upon registration.)
 

Event Agenda:

  • 2:00 PM PT — Doors open, check-in, product sampling, and networking
  • 3:00 PM PT — Final pitch event begins

  • 6:00 PM PT — Reception and networking

RSVP Today!

See the 2026 cohort

PITCH LIVE

Leo! Leo!

LEO! LEO!

Represented by: Niccolo Lekai, Founder & President

Sea salt caramel ice cream cookie sandwiches crafted in small batches using fresh local dairy and thoughtfully sourced ingredients from the Central Coast of California.

Life Raft Treats

LIFE RAFT TREATS

Represented by: Cynthia Wong, Founder & CEO

Ice cream bars that look like fried chicken drumsticks, Not Fried Chicken Ice Cream is a category-defining, one-of-a-kind frozen treat disrupting the novelty ice cream aisle.

Maazah-1

MAAZAH

Represented by: Yasameen Sajady & Sheilla Sajady, Co-founders

Bold, ultra-creamy Afghan yogurt dips with clean ingredients, vibrant herbs, and a focus on versatility that reimagine familiar favorites with a distinct Middle Eastern flair.

RoseBud

ROSEBUD ICE CREAM

Represented by: Sam Rose, Founder & Cream Executive Officer

Soft serve ice cream in a mess free pouch, helping consumers enjoy parlor quality soft serve from anywhere and everywhere without the spills.

Secret Creamery

SECRET CREAMERY

Represented by: Brian Mosko, Founder & CEO

Super-premium ice cream with a proprietary 4 strain probiotic mix built around an AAPI-influenced flavor portfolio that brings East and Southeast Asian flavors into the American freezer aisle.

Hartman

HARTMAN BRAND

Represented by: Bob Cannone, Partner

High-protein drinkable yogurt in a freeze/thaw format with an extended shelf life that delivers protein and gut health that is convenient to consume.

Tulsi

TULSI FOODS

Represented by: Tanuj Chawla, VP of Sales

High-quality, clean-label paneer crafted using traditional methods with no additives, delivering authentic homemade taste and superior cooking performance that goes from the ethnic aisle into the mainstream dairy case.

Yah Yah Yah-1

YAH YAH YAH

Represented by: Sarah Yahya, Founder & CEO

Premium RTD iced lattes inspired by authentic Middle Eastern coffee traditions with clean-label ingredients like real milk, real honey, 5g of prebiotic fiber, and no artificial sweeteners or preservatives.

Meet the 2025

FINALISTS COMPETING FOR $100,000

CMAB_Mavens Creamery

JOSEPH GALLO FARMS STRING CHEESE

Represented by Jeff Cardinale, Director of Communications and Brand Management

99% lactose-free string cheese with 7g protein per stick.

CMAB_Sweet Craft

MAVENS CREAMERY

Represented by Gwen Nguyen, Co-Founder & CEO; and Ana Luisa Farah, Social Media Manager

Asian-inspired indulgent ice cream made with rich, exotic ingredients in flavors like Thai Tea, Durian, and Black Sesame.

CMAB_Joseph Farms

SWEET CRAFT DESSERT CUPS

Represented by: Stefano Amelio, Co-Founder

Clean-label, Italian-inspired dessert cups in BPA-free packaging.

Meet 

YOUR HOST

Fred Schonenberg-3-1

Fred Schonenberg | Founder and CEO, VentureFuel

As Founder of VentureFuel, Fred has created a repeatable innovation framework, that bridges his deep relationships with the VC, Angel and Startup ecosystem with his C-suite corporate relationships to deliver first-to-market, tangible solutions that drive growth for all involved. His work includes supporting the Real California Milk Excelerator, helping innovative dairy companies scale their businesses and unlock new market opportunities.

Brought to you by the

CALIFORNIA MILK ADVISORY BOARD

Fred Schonenberg - Web Thumbnail
Fred Schonenberg - Web Thumbnail
Fred Schonenberg - Web Thumbnail
Fred Schonenberg - Web Thumbnail

About VentureFuel

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 to 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.

Powered by

VENTUREFUEL

VentureFuel

Commercialize Innovation. Ignite Change.

Enterprise-Ready Commercial Pilots | Customized Corporate Accelerators