Time-Travelling Milkman (TTM), a spin-off company from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and StartLife alumnus, has raised €2 million in Pre-Series A funding to accelerate the commercial rollout of Oleocreamᵀᵀᴹ, a clean-label creaminess ingredient for dairy, plant-based, and hybrid products.
The round brings two new strategic investors: Sparkalis (venture arm of Puratos) and Evercurious. Existing investor Oost NL participated, reinforcing regional momentum from the Netherlands’ AgriFoodTech hub.
From Lab Breakthrough to Scaled Ingredient
Developed by TTM’s team, Oleocream uses a patented, water-only process to gently unlock oleosomes from European sunflower seeds. The result is a clean-label, allergen-free ingredient rich in unsaturated fats that replicates the texture and functionality of dairy fat. It is highly compatible with high-heat processing, fermentation, and low-acidity applications.
Oleocream targets three persistent industry challenges: rising prices, ecological disruption, and underwhelming consumer experience in many plant-based alternatives. It enables shorter, cleaner labels, and supports new launches in spreads, desserts, cream cheeses, and hybrid dairy.
Solving Today’s Challenge with Oleocream
Manufacturers face volatile tropical fat supply chains, scrutiny of ultra-processed formulations, and tightening sustainability targets. With commercial trials underway, Oleocream delivers creaminess at a fraction of the cost of dairy fat, can lower product emissions by more than 80%, and fits emerging hybrid formulations that blend animal and plant ingredients in line with evolving EU reporting and sustainability frameworks.
“We are seizing a rare opportunity in a sector where both investments and sales have stalled. After years of optimization and scaling, we are ready to deliver Oleocream at commercial volumes efficiently, consistently, and affordably.” ~ Dimitris Karefyllakis, Co-founder and Managing Director.
Expanding Production and Applications
With 1,000 tons per year of capacity in place, TTM can supply bakery, patisserie, dairy, and alt-dairy partners at scale. Following pilot trials and consumer panels, customers are preparing launches that pair indulgent texture with short ingredient lists, free from tropical fats and unfamiliar stabilizers.
“We are proud to support visionary startups like TTM,” said Filip Arnaut, Managing Director at Sparkalis. “Their sustainable, plant-based fat ingredient aligns with our mission to accelerate a more responsible and resilient food system.”
Jos Putker, investment manager Food at Oost NL: “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 Food Valley region surrounding Wageningen. We’ve 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.”
StartLife’s Early Support
Time-Travelling Milkman joined StartLife Accelerate in 2020, laying the groundwork for product–market fit and early pilots. In 2022, the team received StartLife Pre-seed Funding, helping move from validated trials to scalable production and commercial partnerships.
TTM advanced through StartLife’s founder network, mentors, and investor partners to sharpen its go-to-market, validate with pilots, and get investor-ready. The company’s progress from lab to industrial scale reflects the strength of Wageningen’s science-backed, market-focused ecosystem.
