Midwest Dairy, in partnership with VentureFuel, today announced the four companies selected for the inaugural cohort for the Midwest Dairy Accelerator—an intensive 8-week virtual initiative designed to accelerate the next generation of dairy-forward food and beverage entrepreneurs in the Midwest.
This initiative builds on Midwest Dairy’s previous partnerships with The Hatchery and No More Empty Pots, expanding the program from pitch events to a full accelerator experience, while keeping the same goal: supporting innovative businesses that incorporate dairy ingredients into their products. Midwest Dairy is proud to offer this structured accelerator experience with greater support and long-term impact for participating founders.
In early Spring, Midwest Dairy called for accelerator applicants. Chosen from a highly competitive applicant pool across the Midwest, the four selected startups for the cohort include:
- Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding (Chicago, IL) – Gourmet, locally-sourced frozen pudding offering various flavors and the only frozen banana pudding CPG product worldwide.
- Rosebud Ice Cream (Glen Ellyn, IL) – Delicious premium soft serve ice cream pouches offering mess-free indulgence designed to be enjoyed from anywhere.
- Sugar Witch (St. Louis, MO) – Small batch, from-scratch ice cream sandwiches featuring premium ingredients and innovative flavors. Sugar Witch ‘witches are precise “squares” cut from batch-size, individually-wrapped and ready-to-go.
- ZOGURI (Omaha, NE) – The first-ever yogurt-based probiotic supplement that restores critically important gut bacteria with two science-backed keystone strains of L. reuteri.
Kicking off this week, participants will take part in workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and collaborative sessions with experts across the dairy value chain. The curriculum will span consumer insights, ingredients & innovation, co-packing & manufacturing, distribution & retail, marketing, business pitching, and more. Contributors include leaders from top brands, co-ops, universities, and more.
The program will culminate in a live pitch event on September 3, 2025, at The Hatchery, a non-profit food and beverage business incubator in Chicago. Finalists will pitch to a panel of industry experts and judges, with a $20,000 prize awarded to the winner and $10,000 to the runner-up.
“At Midwest Dairy, we believe that true innovation comes from entrepreneurs who challenge the status quo—and who harness the nutritional power and delicious indulgence of real dairy,” Beth Bruck-Upton, Vice President of Research and Innovation at Midwest Dairy. “By supporting food and beverage startups, we’re not only championing new products—we’re advancing an industry that has nourished communities for generations and has untapped potential to do more.”
Midwest Dairy’s ongoing commitment to innovation supports the continued evolution of dairy in the U.S., with research and pilot initiatives driving economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The Accelerator aims to help early-stage entrepreneurs meet rising consumer demand for dairy-based products that deliver on flavor, function, and convenience.
“Innovation fuels growth, and startups bring the fresh thinking needed to meet evolving consumer demands,” said Fred Schonenberg, Founder and CEO of VentureFuel. “We’re excited to partner with Midwest Dairy on this accelerator to help visionary founders rapidly turn their bold ideas into tangible, market-ready solutions that scale.”
For more information or to stay updated on the Accelerator journey, visit midwestdairyaccelerator.com.