Nekoosa company is 2020 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge semifinalist – Wisconsin Rapids City Times

For the City Times

NEKOOSA – The Bêne Baby Company was named a semifinalist in the 2020 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, which recognizes entrepreneurs developing innovative farming and agricultural products with a regional emphasis.

The Bêne Baby Company is based in Nekoosa and will introduce the first-of-its-kind infant formula made with goat’s milk this summer. The funds received from this $10,000 award will help launch the new product and assist the company in developing relationships with its goat milk farmers.

“Bêne Baby goat’s milk formula will provide a significant new market for our dairy farmers,” said Nikos Linardakis, M.D., The Bêne Baby Company president, “Growth and evolution in agriculture are essential to industry strength, and we are honored to stand among companies charting innovative paths.”

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, announced the 10 semi-finalist teams in the Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge at the bureau’s annual Convention and Trade Show in Austin, Texas.

The Bêne Baby Company was co-founded by Linardakis and James Esselman, DDS, to create the first human breast milk alternative with goat’s milk made in America, for infants from birth until 12 months of age. They created an easy-to-digest, patent-pending goat milk infant formula which meets all FDA nutritional requirements. It is hypoallergenic and gentle to tummies, and contains no soy, gluten nor corn syrup.

“Our farm-fresh infant formula is made one batch at a time and helps protect and expand our dairy industry by introducing goat milk production for a new product category,” Linardakis said. “Goat milk is the acceptable world leader for milk consumption, as it is easier to digest, has better absorption of nutrients and can provide healthy immune benefits. Our premium goat milk is more bioidentical to human milk.”