Foggy Bottoms Boys win StartUp Humboldt prize for Jersey Scoops ice cream

The final round had the feel of a local Shark Tank, with 10 finalists pitching before judges and a packed house of more than 575 people. StartUp Humboldt said ventures were evaluated on feasibility, viability and community impact, and Cal Poly Humboldt reported that five ventures shared $210,000 in milestone-based funding after the event. That structure mattered because the prize was not just a publicity boost; it was startup capital tied to performance, designed to help businesses move past the idea stage.

For Thomas Nicholson Stratton and Cody Nicholson Stratton, Jersey Scoops is a bet that Humboldt agriculture can earn more by adding value before products leave the county. Redwood News described Thomas Nicholson Stratton as part of a sixth-generation Humboldt County dairy farm, and said the family’s milk production has been in place for well over 100 years. North Coast Journal said the brothers began planning Jersey Scoops in 2020, naming it after the cows at Nicholson Livestock Dairy. The product itself solves a basic market problem: lactose-free ice cream opens the door to customers who want local dairy but cannot always eat conventional ice cream.

That matters in a county where food brands often compete on origin as much as taste. CalOSBA describes Foggy Bottoms Boys Farm as a sixth-generation organic dairy farm in the Eel River Valley on the Northern Coast of Humboldt County, and says Thomas and Cody Nicholson Stratton emphasize local sourcing and fresh food. The same profile says the farm is known for supporting the LGBTQ+ community and creating safe space within agriculture, a brand identity that gives Jersey Scoops recognition beyond the farm gate. In a crowded consumer market, that kind of name recognition can be the difference between a novelty and a product line with staying power.