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

TRACY, Calif., Nov. 20, 2024 – 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 November 14th in San Ramon, Calif., where four new finalists also were 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, sustainable 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 Maximee 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 Maximee 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.”

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 & CEO, Joe Rotondo;
And Todo, a meal replacement shake with a balanced nutritional content, represented by founder, Niket Soni.

"Being selected as a finalist is a tremendous honor and reflects Projo*'s commitment to innovation in both the coffee and health & wellness industries. With the support of Real California Milk and VentureFuel, we’re excited to advocate for California’s dairy farmers, lead in sustainable practices, and expand access to our products, making Projo* available to consumers everywhere. This partnership empowers us to keep innovating and crafting new offerings that showcase the quality of California dairy and provide an accessible, healthy choice for all."

Lisa Hermosillo, Co-Founder

"We’re incredibly honored to be a finalist in this year’s Real California Milk Pitch Competition. Cottage cheese is having a major comeback, and Smearcase is leading the way with our high-protein, low-fat 'FroCo'. Consumers are seeking healthier indulgences, and Smearcase lets them enjoy real, creamy ice cream that aligns with their goals. With the California Milk Advisory Board’s support, we envision Smearcase becoming a staple on the west coast and beyond—introducing the next generation to cottage cheese in the tastiest way possible."

- Joe Rotondo, Founder & CEO

The 2024 Final Pitch Event Judges are the who's who of the CPG, grocery, and dairy world. They represent a hall of fame of knowledge around brand excellence, grocery, dairy, investing, and product launches. Hand-selected based on their expertise, they help determine the best of the best from this incredibly talented group of startups. We are indebted to them for offering their time and perspective on which innovative concepts will scale to become the next great dairy-based products.

John Talbot, CEO, California Milk Advisory Board
Noel Rosa, President and CEO, Rosa Brothers Milk Company
Donna Berry, Editor, Daily Dose of Dairy
John Crawford, SVP, Client Insights-Dairy, Circana
Patrycja Kotowska, Category Strategy Manager, Sprouts
Chad Coester, Chief Growth Officer, L.A. Liberations
Carmen Licon-Cano, Director, Cal Poly
Elizabeth Crawford, Senior Editor, Food Navigator USA

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.

With More Than $2MM in Sales, Petit Pot Takes $100,000 Grand Prize at 2024 Real California Milk Excelerator

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About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

About VentureFuel, Inc.