Dutch-based Time-Travelling Milkman bags €2M to roll out Oleocream, a sunflower-based dairy cream alternative

Dutch foodtech startup Time-Travelling Milkman secures funding to expand the commercial rollout of its plant-based cream alternative.

Wageningen-based Time-Travelling Milkman (TTM), a Dutch foodtech startup, has secured €2M in Pre-Series A funding.

TTM added two strategic investors in this round: Sparkalis, the venture arm of Puratos, which will support expansion in bakery and patisserie categories, and Evercurious, a venture capital fund backing European early-stage deep tech startups developing technologies that address global challenges.

Filip Arnaut, Managing Director at Sparkalis, says, “We are proud to support visionary startups like TTM whose disruptive fat ingredient technology is reimagining the future of food. Their sustainable, plant-based innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to accelerate the transition toward a more responsible and resilient food system.”

The round also includes follow-on funding from Oost NL, a long-standing shareholder and regional development agency in the Netherlands. Oost NL invests from the ‘Innovatie- en Energiefonds Gelderland’ an innovation fund for SMEs in Gelderland.

Developing plant-based dairy with a dairy-like texture

Founded in 2020 and a spin-off from Wageningen University & Research, TTM aims to use research from the past to design new dairy alternatives from plants.

The company has developed Oleocream, a dairy cream equivalent made from sunflower seeds using a patented process. The company provides B2B solutions for plant-based products. Oleocream delivers the texture and performance of dairy cream while offering additional protein, healthier fats, and minimal environmental impact.

TTM’s technical team, building on research conducted at Wageningen University, developed a patented process that uses water and European sunflower seeds. The process preserves natural oil droplet structures called Oleosomes, which replicate the texture and functionality of dairy fat. This method produces an ingredient that is clean-label, allergen-free, rich in unsaturated fats, and compatible with high-heat, fermentation, and low-acidity applications.

TTM plans to introduce Oleocream in a new generation of breakfast spreads and desserts. After pilot trials and consumer panels, customers are prepared to launch new cream cheeses and desserts that are free from tropical fats and unfamiliar stabilisers.

Oleocream’s similarity and compatibility with dairy fat allow it to be used in plant-based and hybrid dairy products, providing performance comparable to traditional dairy fat. The solution enables new product formats that meet requirements for taste and functionality.

Oleocream is designed to address three challenges in the dairy sector: rising prices, environmental impact, and limitations of existing plant-based alternatives.

The production process of Oleocream is scalable, generates zero waste, and reduces costs compared with dairy fat. The process lowers product emissions by over 80 per cent while maintaining the functionality of dairy cream.

TTM claims that its solution aligns with market trends, including increasing demand for less processed foods, pressure to reduce use of tropical fats due to supply chain issues, and growth in hybrid products that combine animal- and plant-based ingredients.

EU regulations, including CSRD, support hybridisation, allowing Oleocream to assist both dairy and plant-based producers in meeting sustainability requirements while maintaining product functionality.

Capital utilisation

TTM will use the funds to advance the commercial adoption of Oleocream. With production scaled to 1,000 tonnes per year, the company plans to expand the commercial rollout of Oleocream in the dairy market and plant-based categories in Europe.

The rollout aligns with regulatory readiness and current industry demand. Commercial trials are underway, and new product launches are expected in the coming months.

Dimitris Karefyllakis, co-founder and Managing Director, says, “We’re seizing a rare opportunity in a sector where both investments and sales have stalled. After years of optimisation and scaling, we’re ready to deliver Oleocream at commercial volumes, efficiently, consistently, and affordably.”

Jos Putker, investment manager, Food at Oost NL, adds, “For the protein transition to succeed, tasty and delicious dairy alternatives are a necessity. With Oleocream, TTM has an innovative solution that contributes to more appealing alternatives.”

“TTM is a success story from food ecosystem in the Foodvalley region surrounding Wageningen. We’ve previously invested in TTM, and the team has made great progress since then. We are proud that, as Oost NL, we can help further accelerate the market introduction.”