Northeastern Dairy Product Innovation Competition Announces 10 Finalists
By Katie Spring, Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center at VAAFM
Here at the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), our goal is to increase the resiliency of regional dairy. The most obvious way we do that is through grants for dairy farmers and processors, but we also partner with organizations to leverage our collective capacities.
Take the Northeastern Dairy Product Innovation Competition. Produced by Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement in partnership with the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center and funded by a $1 million grant from the NE-DBIC, the competition supports food innovators in launching products made from dairy ingredients produced in the Northeast.
Out of over 50 applicants, 10 finalists will receive early-stage incubation assistance from Cornell’s food processing and business experts, access to the university’s food processing facilities, industry mentorship, and training on product prototyping. Along with these resources, finalists will receive $20,000, with up to three winners receiving an additional $55,000, and a presence at the Dairy Innovation Showcase at the 2023 Grow-NY Summit in November.
The 10 finalists are:
- Bell & Goose Cheese Co. of New Hampshire, with marinated feta cheese.
- lu•lu ice cream of Vermont, with goat’s milk gelato.
- Maia Yogurt of Connecticut, with grassfed yogurt for kids.
- Maple Valley Farm of Vermont, with saffron maple yogurt.
- North Country Creamery of New York, with semi-hard, pasteurized cheese.
- Naturally Golden Family Farms Co-op of Pennsylvania, with an all-natural, dairy-based coffee creamer.
- Oakfield Corners Cheese LLC of New York, with Mexican style cheese.
- Spekld of Connecticut, with a pre-made, brown butter product.
- Terra Firma Farm of Connecticut with a ready-to-use, premium ice cream base.
- Very Good Yogurt of New York, with sugar-free, savory yogurt.
Four of the finalists—Bell & Goose Cheese Co, lu•lu ice cream, Naturally Golden Family Farms Co-op, and North Country Creamery—have previously received grants through the NE-DBIC.
Bell & Goose Cheese Co, lu•lu ice cream, and Naturally Golden are recipients of the Dairy Marketing & Branding Services grant. lu•lu ice cream also received a Goat & Sheep Dairy Supply Chain Grant. North Country Creamery is a recipient of the Dairy Food Safety & Certification Grant and was part of the dairy cohort that participated in the NE-DBIC Missouri Learning Journey.
As our Center Lead, Laura Ginsburg, noted, “This competition, along with our specialized grants for dairy processors, creates more pathways for regional dairy processing that benefits farmers, consumers, and our regional economy.”
The competition culminates on August 8 at Cornell University’s Stocking Hall in Ithaca, New York, where finalists will pitch their products to a committee of judges. To learn more, visit dairyinnovation.org.
Current Grants for Dairy Processors Across the Northeast
By Ali Boochever, Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center at VAAFM
The NE-DBIC announces two upcoming grants for cow, goat, and sheep dairy processors. Find the Request for Applications for the grants below, plus our full funding calendar, on our website: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/dbic/grants
Existing Dairy Processor Expansion Grant
With a goal to diversify and strengthen the supply chain for dairy farmers and consumers, this grant offers existing dairy processors across the Northeast funding to acquire specialized equipment needed to increase the processing capacity of regionally produced milk and other activities to support expansion and meet demand.
The RFA for the single-stage Tier 3 application for smaller processors whose volume of milk utilized on an average production day is under 1,000 pounds, is available until the application closes on August 24, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET. Awards for Tier 3 will range from $25,000 to $250,000, with a 25% match requirement.
Dairy Packaging Innovation Grant
Northeast dairy businesses looking for sustainable product packaging solutions can now apply for the Dairy Packaging Innovation Grant. This program provides funding to support modernized, climate-forward dairy packaging initiatives that prioritize sustainability, scalability, and marketability.
The RFA for the first round of this two-phase application process is available now and pre-applications for the first round are due by August 24, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET. Following the review of pre-applications, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application beginning in mid-September to mid-November. Awards will range from $75,000 to $350,000 with a 25% (cash or in-kind) match commitment required.
For more information about these grants, contact the NE-DBIC team at agr.dairyinnovation@vermont.gov