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WHERE THEY ARE NOW

Alumni of the Real California Milk Excelerator don't just join a program, they build businesses. Here's what commercialization looks like in the real world.

Petit Pot
Petit Pot
Maxime Pouvreau, Founder
2023 COHORT | 2024 GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Maxime Pouvreau is the founder of Petit Pot, whose French-inspired organic custards are sold in more than 6,000 grocery stores and are the #1 refrigerated dessert brand at Whole Foods. He was a two-time participant and one-time winner of the Real California Milk Excelerator. Now, he is expanding Petit Pot at Publix and Target with sustainable paper-based cup packaging.
Smearcase
Smearcase
Joe Rotondo, Founder & CEO
2024 COHORT | 2025 GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Smearcase's FroCo — the world's first frozen cottage cheese ice cream — is now in Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Fresh Thyme, targeting 1,500+ doors by the end of 2026. They also won the 2026 Expo West Albertsons Innovation Launchpad and secured venture funding from Listen Ventures. From marathon training experiment to national retail in under two years.
Joseph Gallo Farms
Joseph Farms String Cheese
Jeffrey Cardinale, Director of Communications and Brand Management
2025 COHORT

Lactose-free string cheese with 7g of protein per stick — meeting the demand for clean, functional dairy snacks in the competitive cheese category.
Mavens
Mavens Creamery
Gwen Nguyen, Co-Founder & CEO
2025 COHORT

Asian-inspired indulgent ice cream in flavors like Thai Tea, Durian, and Black Sesame — bringing bold, cultural flavor innovation to the premium ice cream aisle.

past cohorts have included

PARTICIPANT VIDEOS

LISTEN TO PAST WINNER'S PODCAST EPISODES:

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THE NATION'S DAIRY LEADER

Real California Milk Seal

California produces more than 18% of the nation's milk supply, and the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has spent decades turning that scale into a commercial advantage for innovative dairy brands.

The Real California Milk seal is more than a mark of origin. It signals to consumers, retailers, and investors that your product is backed by the most trusted dairy ecosystem in America and by farmers who lead the nation in sustainable practices.

When you join the Excelerator, you gain access to CMAB's full commercial network, including buyer introductions, trade show support, production resources, distribution connections, and media reach that helps open doors most founders spend years trying to access on their own.

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