The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and VentureFuel have announced that Smearcase is the grand prize winner of the 7th Real California Milk (RCM) Excelerator product innovation competition. The award was presented during the 2025 RCM Excelerator live pitch event on December 11 in Napa, California, where four new finalists were also selected to compete for the 2026 grand prize.
The competitive program is designed to drive value-added dairy innovation using California milk, ultimately strengthening the state’s dairy industry by providing brands with access to sustainably produced milk as well as resources, expertise, and non-dilutive funding to grow their businesses. Smearcase will receive $100,000 worth of marketing support from the CMAB to continue scaling its dairy-based innovation with milk from California dairy farm families.
Smearcase was one of four finalists named in 2024 when the company was selected for its innovation as the first cottage cheese-based ice cream infused with collagen. As a “better-for-you” ice cream option, the product features the most protein per pint of ice cream at about 40 grams and does not use artificial gums or sweeteners.
Targeting health-conscious consumers, co-founders Joe Rotondo and Drew DiSpirito, launched the New York City-based brand after training for a marathon and identifying a market gap for high-protein ice cream. In the last year they have scaled production using Real California Milk and continue to demonstrate their company’s potential.
Smearcase won this year’s Grand Prize based on its sales growth throughout 2025. The company was recognized as a Dairy Product of the Year Finalist and over the past year launched products regionally in Whole Foods stores and will debut in Sprouts markets in Q1 2026.
“Innovation pushes our industry forward, and Smearcase is a clear example of what happens when bold thinking meets real dairy. Their frozen cottage cheese is opening an entirely new lane in frozen indulgence. We’re proud to support their growth through the Real California Milk Excelerator and give consumers another fresh way to enjoy the benefits real California milk and dairy can offer,” said Bob Carroll, chief executive officer of the CMAB.
