Protein Pints

Exciting news from the Protein Pints team 🎉 Paul Reiss and I would like to formally introduce to you our 3 newest team members, all of whom I deeply respect. A.J. Mergele - Protein Pints Chief Customer Officer  A.J. Mergele brings a wealth of experience in CPG Sales and driving substantial revenue growth. With a track record of increasing retail gross revenue by: 304% ($25M to $101M) at Catalina Crunch  231% ($55M to $182M) at noosa yoghurt & 308% ($120M to $489M) at Chobani A.J. Mergele has been a close mentor of ours for over a year, advising us since before we were in our first store! It’s an honor to welcome him to our team. Nicholas Milligan - Protein Pints Chief Financial Officer Nicholas Milligan is a high growth finance specialist with over 25 years of CPG experience including roles as: CFO @ Catalina Crunch CFO @ Outer Aisle Gourmet & CFO @ NJM Executive Consulting It is humbling to have a financial expert on our team covering our bases as we set out with our national growth strategy. Thank you, Nick, and welcome! Daniel Raynak - Protein Pints Investor & Growth Advisor  Daniel Raynak is a seasoned executive with experience in driving commercial significance through education, advisory, consulting, and capital investment. Dan has a strong background in marketing strategy, and his previous work includes senior positions at Target and General Mills, where he managed major brands like: Honey Nut Cheerios Betty Crocker & FiberOne Dan is an all around INCREDIBLE human being who shares our roots with Michigan State University. I am honored to welcome these three gentlemen to our ever-growing team and company. Cheers to the future ahead.

After a great run with Catalina Crunch, I could not be more excited to join the Protein Pints team and introduce a delicious new generation of ice cream. Thank you to Paul Reiss, Michael Meadows, and Christopher McKellar who have created a new category in good-for-you ice cream with unparalleled attributes/macros!

📣 We are honored to share that Protein Pints was selected for the "Young Innovators" award at the Making it in Michigan Conference & Food Expo on April 24th, just one week after our retail expansion with Meijer! 🎉 The MSU Product Center Food•Ag•Bio, Mollie Woods, and many more in the organization have continuously supported Protein Pints through our growth! From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for this recognition and honor. Day-by-day we'll keep pushing forward!

🎉 Protein Pints is now LIVE @ Meijer stores! 🎉 You can now find us at the following locations 👇🏼 📍Grand Rapids Hudsonville Jenison Grandville Standale Knapp's Corner 28th St. Cascade 📍East Lansing Lake Lansing Rd Saginaw St, Bath 📍Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Saline Rd Carpenter Road Ypsilanti This would not have been possible without the support from the incredible team at Meijer including Kavy Lenon, Monica Nevenzel, Robert Gilmore + many more. Thank you to everyone who has supported to get us here, we appreciate you so much!❤️ #thankyou #startup #icecream

We are honored to announce that Protein Pints has won 1ST PLACE and the GRAND PRIZE at the prestigious Rice Business Plan Competition, securing over $250K in funding! 🏆 The Rice Business Plan Competition is the largest and richest student startup competition in the world! 🌎 So, how did we get here? Out of over 450 applicants, Protein Pints was announced in February 2024 as one of the top 42 teams and invited to Houston, Texas to compete and represent Michigan State University.✈️ Over the course of the past week, and four rounds of pitching, this group was narrowed down to a final 7, representing the top collegiate teams in the nation. In the finals Jordan Emmer and I pitched to a room of over 350 esteemed judges from top investment firms and were met with incredible enthusiasm and support.👏🏼 Huge thank you to the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship sponsors, judges, and mentors for believing in Protein Pints. We are excited to continue pushing forward with our Meijer pilot this April 17th, in just one week! 🎉 #RBPC Michigan State University – Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Michigan State University - Eli Broad College of Business GOOSE Capital TiE Houston

Major Development! 📣 Introducing the NEW packaging & nutritional design of Protein Pints & the release of our new flavor, Strawberry! 🍓 This update represents the culmination of: 2 years of intentional market research Over 7,000 product sample cups shared within our community and target audience Countless conversations and questions, totaling in the thousands Hundreds of R&D batches crafted behind the scenes 🍨 What's changed? A LOT! 🔄 We've optimized our servings from 45g to 30g per pint, offering lower calories per pint without compromising on high protein content. Every flavor profile has been enhanced to ensure an even more delicious experience. We’ve also been able to reduce our suggested retail price to $8.99 / pint, which doesn’t seem like a huge decrease, but might be the biggest change here! But what remains the same? Our core commitments 💪 Unchanged ingredients, sourced with care Our low-sugar philosophy Continued use of Whey Protein Isolate Absolutely zero artificial sweeteners or flavors Gluten-Free Reduced lactose for those with sensitivities This update is a testament to our relentless pursuit of building a product & brand with the community. We couldn't have done it without your support and feedback every step of the way. Get ready to experience Protein Pints like never before! Stay tuned for the big release at Meijer on April 17th. 🎉

What a momentous year 2023 was at Protein Pints. It's with immense gratitude that Paul Reiss and I invite you to reflect on the remarkable journey we've shared with the Top 5 Milestones for 2023: 1. 1,452 Pints Sold since July 30th Launch: Behind every pint is a story, and it's your stories that make each sale a celebration. 2. $140,000 in Non-Dilutive Grant Funding Awarded: Your belief in our mission is the wind beneath our wings. With the support of our incredible backers, we're poised for even greater impact in 2024. Thank you: Michigan State University – Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, Eastern Michigan University, Start Garden, Center for Dairy Research, & Lansing Economic Area Partnership | LEAP. 3. 5 Thriving Points of Distribution Launched: Meijer Bridge Street Market Meijer Capital City Market Michigan State University Dairy Store Love's Ice Cream Grand Rapids City Gym 4. 100,000+ Pints/Year Manufacturing Partnership Created: A first-ever collaboration with MSU Product Center Food•Ag•Bio and Michigan State University Dairy Store! Thank you Mollie Woods, Aaron Weiner, & team. 5. 10 Meijer Supercenters Approved for 2024: We're thrilled to expand our reach to 10 Meijer Supercenters on April 17th in the coming year. Thank you Monica Nevenzel & Kavy Lenon for recognizing our potential. Belive me, we are only just getting started! Here's to the magic that awaits in 2024. #YearInReview #Gratitude2023

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 Thrilled to share that Protein Pints has been selected as the proud recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Center for Dairy Research! This groundbreaking opportunity is a testament to our commitment to innovation and the tireless efforts of our team. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) for recognizing the potential of our protein ice cream venture! 🌟 About DBIA: The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance is at the forefront of supporting dairy-based farms and processors across the heartland of America — spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Their grant program specifically targets small-to-medium-sized farmers and processors, aiming to foster diversification, the creation of value-added products, and enhancing dairy by-products or export programs. We're honored to be part of this initiative that aligns perfectly with our mission of pushing forward the ice cream industry through innovative, protein-packed ice cream offerings. A huge shout out to the Center for Dairy Research for their invaluable contribution to our journey. Together, we're paving the way for Protein Pints' broader social initiatives focused on increasing healthy food access for a category that has historically only had unfavorable options. We're excited about the possibilities ahead and look forward to continuing our dedication to making delicious and protein-packed ice cream commercially available nationwide. Thank you, DBIA and Center for Dairy Research, for believing in Protein Pints and our vision. 🍨 https://lnkd.in/gKuYRnd8 #Grateful #InnovationInDairy #ProteinIceCream #DBIAgrant #MilestoneAchievement #icecream #startup #cpg #michiganstateuniversity

What's your why? 🤔 Featuring videography by Jonah Brown 🙌 #proteinicecream #startup #cpg

Protein Pints is officially licensed with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development to manufacture at the MSU Dairy Store & Complex as of this morning!🎉 What does this mean? We're able to manufacture as little as 30 pints and as many as 100,000+ pints / year: this is a huge milestone! Not to mention, we are working an a special R&D project called "Protein Pops" that we're excited to share more on soon. . . Of course, thank you to those at the MSU Product Center Food•Ag•Bio who are quickly becoming some of our biggest supporters. #icecream #foodmanufacturing #operations