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The U.S. Small Business Administration Eastern Pennsylvania District Office announces Hayley Painter, Co-Founder of Painter and Sisters in Westfield, receiving its Eastern Pennsylvania Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2024. SBAʼs Eastern Pennsylvania Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner is selected from among nominees across the 40 counties of eastern Pennsylvania. National Small Business Week recognizes the small business communityʼs contribution to the American economy.

This past Friday, May 17th, at noon, Economic Development and Lender Relation Specialist Sonia Smith and Deputy District Director Eastern PA District Office Michael T. Kane of the Small Business Administration came to present the award. The award was presented at the Painterland Farm in Westfield, PA.

It all began in early 2018 when Hayley Painter, alongside her sister Stephanie, started a business plan to produce a value-added product to sustain her family’s fourth-generation organic dairy farm. Painterland Farms, located in Westfield, Tioga County, is the family farm’s name. It was started by their great-grandparents in 1941. Dairy cattle graze there, and the Painter family still farms there.

Hayley and Stephanie set out to find the value-added product they could make to sustain their family farm. Hayley traveled worldwide, visiting and learning the craftsmanship of making milk into new products from creameries. They received a grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture called the Farm Vitality Grant to support the costs of working with food product consultants. They found their niche in the market: Organic Skyr Yogurt, which is made from their family’s organic milk and other farms in the area. They sold their first cup of yogurt in March 2022 and have expanded ever since.

The business obtained assistance from the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC), specifically with Business Consultant Gretchen Kukuchka, who has supported the Painters with

business consulting, development, and securing grants. Painterland Sisters applied for and received the national WBENC Women-Owned certification through Womenʼs Business Enterprise Center East (WBEC East). In addition, Painterland Sisters is a proud PA Preferred Brand, meaning its product is grown, produced, and processed in Pennsylvania.

Today, with eight employees, Painterland Sisters Organic Skyr Yogurt is sold in 2,000 locations throughout all 50 states in well-known supermarkets such as Giant, Whole Foods, The Fresh Market, and Sprouts. Their USDA-certified, pasture-raised, lactose-free, non-GMO yogurt now competes with some of the biggest dairy brands in the natural grocery channel. Leftover cream from their yogurt process is sold to other value-added products like ice cream creameries.

The Painterʼs’ long-term vision is to continue building a vertically integrated dairy business that supports Pennsylvania dairy farming and processing and national sales, all with a focus on sustainability and creating a local and national impact. Their dreams include agri-tourism and sharing the positivity of their lifestyle with the world.

“Iʼm excited to celebrate Hayley Painterʼs achievements and the support Painterland Sisters received from the University of Scranto Small Business Development Center. Hayley is changing the face of farming and her role as a woman entrepreneur in the yogurt industry, one spoonful at a time,” said Steve Dixel, SBA Eastern Pennsylvania Director. “Todayʼs millennial women farmers like Hayley and her sister Stephanie are visionary entrepreneurs and leaders in sustainability and innovation.”

“Hayley Painter is an exceptional example of a true American woman-owned, farmer-owned small business in the heart of rural Pennsylvania,” said nominator Colleen LaCoss, Director of Certification and Business Development, Womenʼs Business Enterprise Center East. “She inspires and has set an example for girls and young women by showing them that they can be farmers, leaders, and entrepreneurs in the agricultural world.”

“When you hold a cup of Painterland Sisters Organic Skyr Yogurt, you hold our family dream in your hand,” said Hayley Painter, Co-founder of Painterland Sisters.

“Itʼs incredible to be named SBAʼs Eastern Pennsylvania Young Entrepreneur of the Year. I could not have achieved this level of success without my sister Stephanie, my family, my Painterland Sisters team, my community, and the help received from the University of Scranton SBDC and WBEC East.”

Hayley Painter was named a “30 Under 30” in the Forbes 2024 Food & Drink category. She is on the board of Team PA and a member of PASA (Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture), PA Friends of Agriculture, PA Farm Bureau, Women in Ag (statewide and local), Young Agriculture Professionals, and many more organizations. In 2023, Painterland Sisters actively supported more than 60 community events.