Grand Rapids-based Protein Pints was recently awarded the grant from the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance, or DBIA. Forty-one grants were awarded totaling nearly $4 million dollars for farmstead operations and dairy processing businesses across the Midwest.
Protein Pints is based in Grand Rapids and makes ice cream. The company, founded by two best friends, promotes itself as the first ever protein ice cream with similar nutrients to that of a protein shake or bar. Co-founder and owner Michael Meadows explains what they’ll be using the grant for.
“So right now our flagship product is our pints, but we also want to extend that to a single serve option on a stick. And then the other part of it is this summer we’re launching our event catering business. So going around to different athletic events and kind of popping up and scooping out ice cream there.”
The funds are awarded as part of the DBIA’s Dairy Business Builder grant program. The program aims to support small- to medium-sized dairy businesses all over the Midwest. Meadows says they were thrilled to receive the grant.
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when we had gotten the news. Obviously I really believe in what we’re doing but to be selected, it’s absolutely huge for our trajectory and what we’re going to be able to do moving forward.”
