TRACY, CALIF. — Petit Pot, Emeryville, Calif., has taken home the 2024 Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator $100,000 grand prize for the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB) and VentureFuel’s product innovation competition. The company bested four other dairy companies at the Future of Dairy Expo and Final Pitch Event held on Nov. 14 in San Ramon, Calif.

The four other finalists included: Pluff, a fluffy protein dessert founded by Dylan Paul; Projo, an instant coffee blend formulated with dairy and collagen founded by Charbel Mawad; Smearcase, a frozen cottage-cheese ice cream founded by Joe Rotondo; and Todo, a meal replacement shake founded by Niket Soni.

The program helps innovate in value-added dairy innovation using California milk and provides startups sustainably produced milk as well as resources, expertise and non-dilutive funding, according to The California Milk Advisory Board.

“The passion and creativity we’ve seen from this year’s grand prize winner and finalists exemplify the bold future of California dairy,” said Fred Schonenberg, chief executive officer of VentureFuel. “From sustainable practices to breakthrough flavors, these founders are redefining what dairy can be. We’re thrilled to support their journeys as they open new possibilities and help drive California’s dairy industry’s continued growth and innovation.”

Petit Pot, which was founded by French-born pastry chef Maxime Pouvreau, has scaled up production in California producing single serve desserts. Its product line includes pot de crème, rice pudding and a plant-based range of both pot de crème and rice pudding, according to the company.

The CMAB said it selected Petit Pot based on its $2 million plus in retail sales over a one-year period and an expanding presence through 6,000 stores across the country.

Petit Pot also was a finalist in the 2023 RCM Excelerator event and was selected for its innovation in product packaging for its paper dessert cup for sustainability.