The team’s winning product, Nuestro Corazón – Spanish for “Our Heart” – is a snack pack that combines dairy-rich nutrition with convenience. Each pack features protein-rich cheddar and mozzarella crackers paired with Greek yogurt spreads in flavors such as chimichurri, harissa and dulce de leche. A single serving delivers more than 79% dairy content and provides 20% of the recommended daily value of protein.

The students said Nuestro Corazón is designed to support muscle maintenance, weight management and cardiovascular wellness, making it ideal for on-the-go lifestyles

Team members Alejandro Schutte, Andrea Soler, Ashley Medina, Jazmine Arreola and Joy Agbawodike received DMI’s Platinum Dairy Innovator Award and a $10,000 prize during the American Dairy Science Association’s annual meeting this week in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I haven’t seen a snack pack like ours that blends heart-healthy benefits with high nutritional value,” Soler said. “During our sensory evaluation, participants didn’t initially realize it was a healthy product. But when we told them it was high in protein and calcium and supported heart health, their interest in purchasing it increased significantly.”

Agbawodike added, “The most interesting part was reformulating the product – factoring in shelf life, texture, ingredient stability and ways to optimize the recipe. It gave us a real sense of what working in the food industry is like. We developed a product from scratch, from ideation to sensory testing. There’s so much potential in dairy.”

DMI has hosted the New Product Competition annually since 2012 to foster innovation among emerging food scientists and offer students hands-on experience in product development. Each year’s theme aligns with current consumer trends and supports checkoff-led strategies to engage younger generations, particularly Gen Z, who value food that supports health and wellness.

Dr. Rohit Kapoor, DMI’s vice president of product research and longtime competition manager, praised the creativity and dedication of the student teams.

“I’m always astonished to see so much innovation and dairy-forward thinking from these students,” Kapoor said. “They are true innovators. It wasn’t just the finalists – every team brought ideas, enthusiasm, and effort that exceeded expectations. I’m grateful to our dairy farmers for supporting this initiative that cultivates the next generation of industry leaders.”

 Other winners included:

• Gold Dairy Innovator Award ($7,000): South Dakota State University – BalanceBloom, a creamy, pudding-like snack with over 70% dairy content that blends indulgence with functionality.
• Silver Dairy Innovator Award ($4,000): Clemson University – Cottage Crisps, a high-protein snack featuring cottage cheese, whey protein isolate and butter.
• Dairy Innovator Awards ($2,000 each): Oregon State University and two teams from Cornell University rounded out the top six finalists.