When Stephanie and Hayley Painter boarded a plane to Iceland, they didn’t expect the windswept hills and sharp green valleys of the Nordic island to look so familiar.
The Pennsylvania-born sisters saw in that rugged landscape echoes of their Appalachian roots: terrain too steep for row crops, but ideal for grazing cows.
What they didn’t know then was that the trip would spark a mission, one that now stands at the forefront of America’s organic dairy revival.
Three years after selling their first cup of skyr, a thick, protein-rich Icelandic-style yogurt, the Painter sisters have announced the close of a seven-figure seed funding round.
The investment comes as their company, Painterland Sisters, secures nationwide placement at Whole Foods Market and crosses the milestone of 5,000 retail shelves across all 50 states.
It’s a victory not just for the entrepreneurial duo, but for the survival of their family farm, one of the last standing in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
From a Family Farm on the Brink to a National Yogurt Brand
Painterland Farms has been in operation since the 1940s, a fourth-generation dairy farm rooted in the hills near the New York-Pennsylvania border. Once, the township was dotted with small dairy farms, each family working its barn, house, and pasture. Today, nearly all have shuttered. The Painters’ farm is the last one left in Westfield Township.
The sisters nearly lost it, too. As industrial dairies scaled up and processing plants closed, family-owned operations like theirs were pushed to the edge. Stephanie recalls the breaking point vividly: “We called everywhere in the country, but no one would take our milk. We were going to have to sell the cows.”
But instead of folding, they pivoted. Inspired by their Icelandic collaborator Gunnar, a third-generation skyr maker who had recently relocated to Pennsylvania, they bet everything on a product unfamiliar to most Americans: skyr, an ultra-filtered yogurt rich in protein and probiotics.
“We were shocked at how different it was from the yogurt we grew up with,” Stephanie says. “We wanted to bet everything on skyr.”
Reclaiming Milk Fat and Redefining Yogurt
Painterland Sisters skyr stands apart in a crowded dairy aisle. Unlike conventional yogurts that often strip nutrients during processing, their skyr uses a gentle filtration process that preserves whey proteins and micronutrients.
Each 5.3-ounce cup contains the equivalent of four cups of milk, resulting in a dense, nutrient-packed product that mirrors how Vikings once strained milk for long journeys.
Its richness is also tied to its milkfat content. With 6% double cream, the yogurt breaks from the industry trend of marketing only fat-free dairy. “We wanted to reclaim the narrative on milk fat,” Hayley explains. “If double cream Brie can thrive, why not double cream yogurt?”
The result is a skyr that’s thick, creamy, and indulgent while still being nutrient-dense and easier to digest. Flavors range from Blueberry Lemon to Savannah’s Peach, with larger tubs of Vanilla Bean and Plain now available to meet growing demand.
A Retail Breakthrough
The Painter sisters knew survival meant going beyond farmers’ markets. Their first big retail partner was Giant Food, which took a chance on the premium $3 single-serve yogurt. Within months of that launch in March 2022, the brand caught the attention of Whole Foods Market’s product development team.
Daniela D’Ambrosio, a regional forager for Whole Foods, recalls her first taste vividly: “It was like crème brûlée in a cup. I didn’t want to sleep on it. I knew we needed this on shelves.”
From the Mid-Atlantic, Painterland Sisters quickly rolled out to all 500-plus Whole Foods stores nationwide. The move not only validated the sisters’ bet but also placed their farm-to-fridge product in the hands of customers coast to coast.
Funding Growth Through Community and Investment
Painterland Sisters’ expansion wasn’t powered by deep-pocketed backers from the start. A grant from the Center for Dairy Excellence helped them get off the ground, and a WeFunder campaign brought in more than 700 small investors, many from their own farming community.
The latest seed round marks their biggest funding milestone yet. Led by The Angel Group and Spacestation Investments, the round drew attention not only for its scale but for how it bucked industry norms.
Spacestation typically avoids refrigerated products, yet the explosive sales growth convinced them otherwise. According to SPINS data, Painterland Sisters more than doubled sales over the past 12 weeks compared to the same period last year.
“Investors literally doubled their checks after trying the product,” says Jaxon Stuart, principal at Spacestation, which committed $615,000. “We’ve never seen that happen before.”
For Stuart, it wasn’t just the yogurt that sealed the deal, but the branding. “So many dairy brands play it neutral. Painterland Sisters leaned into being feminine, authentic, and farmer-driven. That connected with us, and with consumers.”
Regeneration at the Core
While investors see dollar signs, the Painters see something deeper: the chance to preserve and promote regenerative farming. For them, regenerative isn’t a buzzword, it’s how their family has always farmed. Grazing cattle on steep hills maintains biodiversity, supports pollinators, and enriches the soil.
“What makes this regenerative is that we built the whole ecosystem ourselves,” Stephanie says. “From the cows, to the land, to the yogurt on shelves, it’s all connected.”
That philosophy is gaining recognition. Painterland Sisters is the first brand certified as PA Preferred Organic and the sisters now sit on boards for Team PA and other state initiatives.
Pennsylvania, long trailing California in organic production, is pushing to become the nation’s leader, and the Painters are central to that effort.
Riding a Resurgent Dairy Market
The sisters’ rise comes at a time when the dairy sector is shifting. While overall milk sales are down, yogurt is booming. NielsenIQ data shows the U.S. yogurt market now surpasses $11 billion, growing more than 8% in the past year. Consumers are gravitating toward high-protein, functional foods, with skyr fitting neatly into that demand.
Lactose-free and premium dairy are also on the rise, even as plant-based alternatives lose ground. For consumers willing to spend more for quality and nutrition, Painterland Sisters’ $3 cups are less a splurge than a staple.
From Small Town to National Spotlight
Despite their rapid growth, the Painters remain rooted in their rural upbringing. Their branding intentionally highlights their story as two young women running a dairy farm in northern Pennsylvania. “We wanted people to see the faces behind the product,” Stephanie says. “To know their farmers.”
That authenticity resonates with shoppers and investors alike. As Stuart puts it, “The yogurt is incredible, but when you meet the sisters, you realize it’s even bigger. They’re the real deal.”
With new funding in hand, production is set to scale further, including the purchase of another ultra-filtration machine with state support. For the Painter sisters, though, the mission hasn’t changed: keep their farm alive, uplift fellow farmers, and connect more Americans to organic dairy.
“We’re not just making yogurt,” Hayley says. “We’re making sure family farms have a future.”
