What Holiferm does

Holiferm Limited is a UK-based biosurfactant manufacturer that spun out of the University of Manchester in May 2018. The company produces glycolipid biosurfactants — including Mannosylerythritol Lipids (MELs) — through a proprietary fermentation process that uses microbes originally found in bee hives, natural sugars, and natural oils, combined with advanced fermentation, process chemistry, and data science. Its branded product portfolio comprises HoliSurf for personal care, HoneySurf for home care, AgriSurf for agriculture, and GranuSurf (launched March 2025), a granulated format targeted at home care and Industrial & Institutional (I&I) cleaning applications. The company claims its biosurfactants deliver >50% less CO2 versus petrochemical surfactants and >50% less energy than traditional fermentation, with a stated mission to prevent 1 gigatonne of CO2 emissions by 2035 at a planned 15 KTA capacity.

The company operates a 1.65 KTA commercial production facility in Wallasey (Birkenhead), an R&D lab and pilot plant in Trafford Park (Manchester), and US warehousing to support North American distribution. Manufacturing is supplemented by dedicated formulation support services, where Holiferm's customer excellence team provides bespoke formulation development, joint-formulation work, and product testing to OEM and brand customers. Products are ECOCERT Cosmos approved (personal care), ECODETERGENT certified (home care), and suitable for organic agriculture, giving the ingredients credibility in regulated end-markets.

Holiferm runs a sales-led, B2B go-to-market targeting enterprise and mid-market manufacturers alongside a global distributor channel (Eurosyn, Biesterfeld, Coast Southwest, and regionally Adiego Hermanos in Spain). Pricing is quote-based on unit volumes, with products shipped in 20 kg kegs, 200 kg drums, and 1T IBCs; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The company has raised approximately £18.5 million in a December 2023 Series B led by Rhapsody Venture Partners and Clean Growth Fund, and as of February 2026 is led by new CEO Charles Dimmler, with founder Ben Dolman transitioning to Chief Innovation Officer to drive international expansion into US and Asian markets.

Name

Holiferm

Legal name

Holiferm Limited

Website

https://holiferm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Holiferm is a UK-based biosurfactant manufacturer that uses proprietary fermentation of bee-hive-derived microbes to produce glycolipid (MEL) ingredients for personal care, home care, agriculture, and I&I cleaning brands, distributed globally through direct B2B sales and a network of industrial chemical distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biosurfactants / Specialty biochemical ingredients

NAICS

Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Surfactants, Detergent Ingredients & Oleochemicals (EUAAAIAE)

Keywords

• Biosurfactant manufacturing
• Fermentation technology
• Sustainable surfactants
• Glycolipid production
• Green chemistry ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Biosurfactant Product Sales: Holiferm manufactures and sells high-performance biosurfactant ingredients (HoliSurf for personal care, HoneySurf for home care, AgriSurf for agriculture, GranuSurf for granulated applications) to B2B customers including manufacturers, global distributors, and brands. Revenue is generated through unit-based product sales with formulation support services bundled for partners.
2. Formulation Services: Dedicated Customer Support Team enables bespoke formulations for all partners, offering tailored advice, guidance, joint-formulation work, and product testing and results verification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Holiferm manufactures and sells biosurfactant ingredients (glycolipids and Mannosylerythritol Lipids / MELs) produced through proprietary fermentation technology that uses microbes originally found in bee hives, natural sugars, and natural oils. Its product portfolio spans HoliSurf for personal care, HoneySurf for home care, AgriSurf for agriculture, and the granulated GranuSurf variant, complemented by bespoke formulation support and joint product development services for B2B customers.

Product overview

Holiferm is a biosurfactant manufacturer offering a portfolio of high-performance, sustainable biochemical ingredients produced through proprietary fermentation technology. The product line includes three main biosurfactant brands: HoliSurf (personal care applications), HoneySurf (home care applications), and AgriSurf (agricultural applications), all based on glycolipid chemistry derived from natural fermentation. GranuSurf (launched March 2025) provides a granulated formulation for industrial and institutional cleaning. MELs (Mannosylerythritol Lipids) represent another biosurfactant variant. The company complements its ingredient products with formulation support services, offering bespoke formulation development and testing for customers. Products are manufactured at UK facilities using microbes originally found in bee hives, natural sugars, and natural oils.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HoliSurf Biosurfactant ingredient for personal care applications including shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, facial cleanser, moisturiser, shower gel, micellar water, and bubble bath. INCI name Glycolipid; ECOCERT Cosmos approved, vegan suitable, low environmental toxicity.
• HoneySurf Biosurfactant for home care applications including laundry detergents, hard surface cleaners, dishwash, glass cleaners, car shampoo, fabric freshener, and shower cleaners. ECODETERGENT certified, vegan suitable, palm-free, low environmental toxicity; available in liquid or granulated form.
• AgriSurf Biosurfactant for agricultural applications including soil wetting, healthy root growth, and nutrient dispersal. 100% natural, UK manufactured, suitable for organic production, readily biodegradable, non-GMO feedstocks, palm-free, sulphate-free.
• GranuSurf Granulated form of Holiferm biosurfactant launched March 2025, offering high-performance, sustainable solutions for homecare and I&I cleaning applications.
• MELs (Mannosylerythritol Lipids) Sustainable biosurfactant ingredients developed using advanced fermentation technology. Improved-performance alternative to synthetic chemicals found in personal care and cleaning products. Biodegradable, gentle on skin, made using natural fermentation process.
• Formulation Support Services Expert team providing bespoke formulations for all partners, including modification of existing formulations or development of new functionalities with tailored advice, guidance, joint-formulation work, product testing, and results verification.
• Customer Portal Online customer portal for account access and ordering, available at https://holiferm.com/login/.

Quantifiable outcome

• >50% less CO2 emissions compared to petrochemical surfactants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BioRevolution CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Holiferm joined the BioRevolution Coalition, a growing alliance of organisations working to accelerate the UK bioeconomy and unlock biotechnology and biomanufacturing potential. The coalition brings together businesses, researchers, innovators, policymakers, and investors to create conditions for bio-based products and technologies to achieve widespread adoption.
• Adiego HermanoscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 February 2026Holiferm partnered with Adiego Hermanos, one of Spain's leading chemical product distributors, to bring innovative biosurfactants to the Spanish market. The partnership begins with Agrisurf, a high-performance adjuvant and wetting agent for agriculture. Adiego's technical and sales teams received training from Holiferm specialists at their facilities in Cuarte de Huerva, Zaragoza.
• Cosy CottagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Holiferm and Cosy Cottage partnered to develop MELs (Mannosylerythritol Lipids) based products for skincare, natural deodorants, baby products, and pet care. This follows a previous homecare collaboration and aims to bring high-performance, sustainable ingredients to environmentally conscious families. Products to be launched in 2026.
• EurosyncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading global distributor of Holiferm biosurfactant products.
• BiesterfeldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading global distributor of Holiferm biosurfactant products.
• Coast SouthwestcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS-based global distributor of Holiferm biosurfactant products, providing supply chain security for North American customers.
• University of ManchesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoliferm spun out from the University of Manchester in May 2018. The university remains a supporter and research partner.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Locus Performance Ingredients: US-based fermentation company producing biosurfactants (rhamnolipids) and other bio-based ingredients for personal care, home care, and agriculture. Directly comparable to Holiferm in target markets, business model (ingredient B2B sales), and fermentation technology platform.
• AmphiStar: Belgian biosurfactant spin-out from Ghent University producing star-shaped sophorolipid surfactants via fermentation. Competes head-to-head with Holiferm in personal care and home care applications using a similar fermentation-based B2B ingredient model.
• Glycosurf: US-based biosurfactant company producing sophorolipids from fermentation for personal care and cleaning applications. Direct competitor to Holiferm in the glycolipid biosurfactant space with overlapping customer base and go-to-market approach.
• Checkerspot: Microalgae-based biomanufacturing company producing performance ingredients for personal care and other consumer applications. Closely comparable in business model (fermentation-based B2B ingredients) and notably led by Charles Dimmler before he joined Holiferm as CEO, indicating shared commercial thesis.
• TeeGene Biotech: UK-based biosurfactant company developing sophorolipid surfactants for personal care and industrial applications. Direct peer in geography, technology (microbial biosurfactants), and target markets, competing for similar customer accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals giant with established biosurfactant offerings (e.g., Rewoferm rhamnolipids) sold into the same personal care, home care, and agriculture customers as Holiferm. Operates at much larger scale with broader product portfolio, posing both a competitive threat and a potential acquirer.
• Croda International: UK-based specialty ingredients supplier with biotech surfactant offerings and strong global CPG relationships. Comparable in serving personal care and home care customers with sustainable surfactant solutions, though operating as a broad-line incumbent rather than a biosurfactant specialist.
• BASF: World's largest chemical company with biotechnology programs and a major surfactant portfolio serving global CPG customers. Represents both the dominant incumbent competitor Holiferm must displace and a potential partner or acquirer given BASF's stated focus on bio-based solutions.
• Stepan Company: Major North American surfactant manufacturer with established personal care and home care customer relationships. Increasingly active in bio-based surfactants, making Stepan a comparable incumbent competing for the same biosurfactant-driven reformulation opportunities.

Emerging players

• Conagen: US-based synthetic biology and fermentation company developing specialty ingredients including bio-based surfactants for personal care and industrial applications. Comparable as a fermentation-led B2B ingredient supplier, though broader in scope beyond surfactants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holiferm/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/holiferm

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holiferm