Advancing dairy research is a key strategy of dairy checkoff. Midwest Dairy funds research that solves industry challenges and partners with those who drive demand for dairy. Over the past few years, we have expanded and refined the pitch competition concept in the Chicago metro with exciting results. The competition has enabled Midwest Dairy and our partners to discover and support outstanding food and beverage entrepreneurs who value dairy products in their ingredients. Their passion and dedication to dairy have been instrumental in their business growth, and they continue to support the hard-working Midwest dairy farmers. Building on the success of our partnership with The Hatchery Chicago, Midwest Dairy was excited to expand the pitch competition concept to Omaha, Nebraska. This initiative followed our recent partnership with No More Empty Pots, which we established in the spring of 2024.
The Hatchery Chicago
Midwest Dairy’s partnership with The Hatchery Chicago began in 2022 with a co-hosted pitch contest offering the winner six months of free access to a commercial kitchen in Chicago’s Garfield Park. Since then, the contest has expanded to include a first-place winner and two runners-up, all awarded access to commercial kitchens. In 2024, the contest remained open to established businesses that use at least 30% dairy in their ingredient base with no alternative dairy products. The first-place winner received one year of free rent at a commercial kitchen, while the runners-up received a six-month kitchen contract. Midwest Dairy was pleased to see this contest grow and offer more commercial kitchens, encouraging even more dairy innovation and sales. The goal is to help food vendors create a sustainable business that can grow into their own space, continuing to sell and promote dairy products. The success of the pitch competition reflects the entrepreneurial spirit and the potential for dairy innovation, inspiring us to continue supporting these ventures.
The Hatchery Chicago is a non-profit food and beverage incubator that supports local entrepreneurs in building and growing successful food businesses, cultivating local job opportunities for people from all backgrounds, and accelerating inclusive economic growth on Chicago’s West side. It is one of North America’s largest food and beverage incubators.
Midwest Dairy hosted the 2024 pitch contest in Chicago in late May. A judging panel of leaders across the dairy industry provided knowledge and feedback to help determine the winners. In total, six businesses were presented to the judges.
Congratulations to this year’s contest winner Crafian Artisanal Toffee. This handcrafted toffee, made in Chicago, uses only premium and real ingredients. Founder Shawn Johnson envisions sourcing butter from Midwest Dairy farmers in the future, adding a local and sustainable touch to her specialty and international flavors. This first-place winner received a standard private kitchen with window co-branded signage for 12 months at The Hatchery Chicago. The first runner-up was Community Creamery, and the second runner-up was Esculent Eats LLC. Both winners will receive a standard private kitchen with window co-branded signage for six months.
“Winning the Midwest Dairy Sponsored Kitchen is a game changer for my business! Having access to a personal kitchen provides an opportunity to rapidly scale my production and flavor innovations that cannot be overstated. However, I find myself even more excited about the opportunity to establish direct relationships with local farms, learn more about their process, and gain access to amazing quality dairy that can further elevate, and differentiate, my toffee. I can’t wait to get started,” said Shawn Johnson, owner and founder of Crafian Artisanal Toffee.
No More Empty Pots
No More Empty Pots and Midwest Dairy announced our partnership this past spring, launching a pitch competition to advance Omaha, Nebraska’s local entrepreneurship, foster innovation in product development, and contribute to the growth of the local dairy industry. Applicants adhered to the same rules as The Hatchery Chicago pitch competition. The No More Empty Pots pitch competition awarded two winners a $10,000 prize earning, six months of kitchen rental, and other business development opportunities.
No More Empty Pots is a nonprofit organization that connects individuals and groups to improve self-sufficiency, regional food security, and economic resilience of urban and rural communities through advocacy and action. No More Empty Pots serves youth and seniors by providing educational and experiential learning and workforce readiness training. You can learn more about them by visiting www.nmepomaha.org.
Applications were due in early May, and contestants advanced through three rounds of pitches, with a final few contestants advancing to the last round held in early June. In total, five businesses made it to the final pitch round. Midwest Dairy is thrilled to congratulate the winners, Dundee Popcorn and Coffee Alley. Their innovative use of dairy in their products and their dedication to supporting local dairy farmers impressed us. Dundee Popcorn is a gourmet microwave popcorn business primarily selling at Omaha farmer’s markets. They use real butter and currently sell four flavors: salty, spicy, cinnamon, and kettle. Dundee Popcorn prides itself on being made in small batches and not with butter flavor—just butter. Coffee Alley is a Latina-owned business offering trendy and traditional drinks. Its menu features familiar cafe beverages with unique Mexican twists, such as its popular Mexican coffee, brewed with traditional Mexican spices. The store also offers traditional Mexican baked goods.
As the winners, they received a prize package that included a $10,000 check, six months of kitchen rental, and other business development opportunities. We are excited to see how they will continue to grow and innovate in the dairy industry. We also plan to expand our work with organizations like No More Empty Pots as our values line up as we look for businesses to help dairy farmers drive dairy sales.
“We deeply appreciate our partnership with Midwest Dairy for this shared venture. Their commitment to supporting dairy farmers and driving consumer demand aligns with our mission of promoting self-sufficiency. Together, we are creating impactful opportunities for food entrepreneurs in Omaha that support their livelihood while stimulating community-wide economic growth,” said Talia McGill, President and CEO of No More Empty Pots.