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Midwest Dairy, in partnership with VentureFuel, today announced the six companies selected for the second annual Midwest Dairy Accelerator, an intensive 10 week virtual program designed to help emerging food and beverage brands scale innovative products that use Midwest dairy as a key ingredient.
The selected startups reflect some of the fastest-growing trends in food and beverage, including high-protein snacking, yogurt-based functional foods, clean-label ingredients, premium frozen desserts, and globally inspired dairy products. The cohort was chosen from a highly competitive applicant pool across the Midwest and represents a new
generation of entrepreneurs reimagining dairy’s role in modern food innovation.
According to Circana, dairy volume growth in 2025 was driven by value-added products that align with evolving consumer needs, particularly high-protein and yogurt-based offerings. Among the category’s strongest performers, yogurt volume grew nearly 9%, while cottage cheese posted standout growth of nearly 15%.
The six companies selected for this year’s accelerator are developing products that tap directly into those trends while meeting consumer demand for great taste, convenience, nutrition, and functionality.
Midwest Dairy news release
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