Time-Travelling Milkman Raises $2.3M to Launch Dairy Fat Alternative
Summary
Dutch startup Time-Travelling Milkman, which uses sunflower seeds to replace dairy fats, has raised 2M ($2.3M) to support the launch of next-gen cream cheeses and desserts.Continuing what has been a bumper week for sustainable fat alternatives, Time-Travelling Milkman has secured 2M ($2.3M) in pre-Series A funding for its sunflower-seed-based ingredient.The investment round saw two new backers in Sparkalis (the venture arm of chocolate giant Puratos) and Evercurious, with participation from existing shareholder Oost NL. It takes the startups total raised to over $3.9M.The fresh capital will enable the Dutch firm to commercialise its Oleocream ingredient in the coming months, starting with cream cheeses and desserts that ditch the dairy.For the protein transition to succeed, tasty and delicious dairy alternatives are a necessity, said Jos Putker, investment manager for food at Oost NL. Instead of disrupting oleosomes to produce liquid oil, the startup keeps these oil bodies intact during extraction, which has been linked to lower processing levels and resistance to digestion.Olesomes offer a stronger emulsion than man-made alternatives and deliver a creamy texture similar to dairy fats, making them an ideal clean-label ingredient to enhance the texture of plant-based barista milks, non-dairy ice cream and cheeses, sauces, and even meat alternatives (including blended meat).Time-Travelling Milkmans Oleocream is free from allergens and rich in unsaturated fats, while being highly compatible with high-heat, fermentation, and low-acidity applications.According to the startup, the ingredient is poised for commercial success thanks to Europeans shift away from processed foods two in five consumers actively avoid these products. And among people who want to make changes to their diet, 60% are looking to reduce their intake of processed foods.Additionally, Oleocream can help companies move away from unsustainable tropical fats like palm and coconut oil, which are widely used in the plant-based food industry the latter is a common base ingredient in vegan cheese, for example.These fats are linked to large-scale tropical deforestation, wildfires, and threats to Indigenous populations and wildlife. These efforts will be helped by the fact that its fat alternative is plant-based and does not require regulatory approval.Were seizing a rare opportunity in a sector where both investments and sales have stalled, said Karefyllakis, who is the managing director.