Northern Bloc
Northern Bloc is a Leeds-based artisanal ice cream manufacturer producing premium dairy and plant-based ice cream using proprietary vegetable-based fibre technology, serving UK retail (Waitrose, Ocado, Co-op, Booths, Amazon) and food-service operators (restaurants, theatres, tourist attractions) under Bidcorp Group ownership since June 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLeeds, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Northern Bloc does
Northern Bloc is a UK-based artisanal ice cream manufacturer founded in 2014 in Leeds by Josh Lee and Dirk Mischendahl, operating as a subsidiary of Bidcorp Group since its June 2024 acquisition. The company produces a portfolio of 25-plus premium ice cream flavours across dairy and plant-based ranges, including 15-plus Vegan Society-registered vegan variants, differentiated by a proprietary vegetable-based fibre technology developed by Director of NPD Manolo Imperatori that eliminates the need for artificial stabilisers and emulsifiers while preserving smooth texture, slow melt, and scoopability. The product line spans retail formats (500ml tubs, 4x100ml multipacks, impulse formats), food-service formats (5L and 2.5L Napolis for scooping, 100ml impulse tubs), and specialty offerings including THE WHiP! plant-based soft serve in UHT format and a lactose-free fruit-based ice cream for dogs.
The business runs a dual-channel go-to-market model. The retail channel distributes through Waitrose, Ocado, Co-op (600-plus stores), Booths, Morrisons, Amazon, and independents, targeting premium grocery shoppers, vegans, lactose-intolerant consumers, and dairy lovers seeking indulgent plant-based options. The food-service channel serves chefs, restaurants, hotels, theatres, and tourist attractions through UK distributors and a direct sales team, with flagship partnerships including English Heritage sites (e.g., Stonehenge). Revenue is generated through unit pricing on one-off purchases across both channels; no subscription or licensing model is in evidence. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.
Commercially, Northern Bloc has leveraged sustainability positioning (first UK ice cream brand with fully compostable BioPBS sugarcane-based packaging, January 2020), strategic partnerships (English Heritage, Theatre Support Fund+, Fareshare, Vegan Society certification), and limited-edition collaborations (e.g., North Brewing beer pairing, Red Paddle Co Paddle Up Parlour) to build brand equity. The company raised a seven-figure GBP sum from Mobeus Equity Partners in January 2021 to scale production and team capacity, with vegan sales reportedly growing 60% during the 2020 pandemic period. Post-acquisition, Northern Bloc continues to operate as a brand within Bidcorp UK, with active NPD pipeline, multi-channel marketing across social, content, events, and PR, and pursuit of ISO14001 environmental management certification.
Northern Bloc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Northern Bloc
- Legal name
- Northern Bloc Ltd.
- Website
- https://northern-bloc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Northern Bloc is a Leeds-based artisanal ice cream manufacturer producing premium dairy and plant-based ice cream using proprietary vegetable-based fibre technology, serving UK retail (Waitrose, Ocado, Co-op, Booths, Amazon) and food-service operators (restaurants, theatres, tourist attractions) under Bidcorp Group ownership since June 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Northern Bloc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Ice Cream
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412)
- SIC
- Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ice Cream (Hard Pack) Manufacturing (AFAHAEAA), Soft-Serve Ice Cream Mix Manufacturing (AFAHAEAB), Plant-Based Frozen Desserts Processing (Non-Dairy Ice Cream, Gelato, Novelties) (AFAHAJAE), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)
Keywords
Where Northern Bloc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leeds
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Northern Bloc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Packaged Ice Cream: Sale of branded ice cream products through grocery retailers (Waitrose, Booths, Co-op, Ocado, Amazon) and independent stores. Products sold in 500ml, 100ml multipacks, and impulse formats.
- Food Service / Professional: Sale of bulk ice cream formats (5L and 2.5L Napolis for scooping, 100ml impulse tubs) to restaurants, hotels, theatres, tourist attractions, and other food service operators through distributors and direct sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional scooping formats - 5L and 2.5L Napolis |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional impulse - 100ml tubs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer retail - 500ml single tubs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer retail - 4x100ml multipacks |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Northern Bloc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Northern Bloc manufactures and sells premium all-natural ice cream in dairy and plant-based/vegan varieties across more than 25 bold flavours, supplied in consumer retail packs (500ml tubs and 4x100ml multipacks) and food-service formats (2.5L and 5L Napolis for scooping and 100ml impulse tubs). The company also offers a plant-based soft-serve mix called THE WHiP! for out-of-home operators and a fruit-based ice cream for dogs, distributing through UK supermarkets and food-service operators.
Product overview
Northern Bloc is a UK-based artisanal ice cream company offering premium ice cream done differently. The portfolio consists of a core dairy and plant-based range of 25+ bold flavours available in multiple formats (impulse 100ml tubs, retail 500ml, and food-service 2.5L/5L Napolis for scooping), supplemented by specialty products including THE WHiP! plant-based soft serve for professional outlets, ice cream for dogs, and seasonal limited-edition collaboration flavours (such as English Heritage puddings). The plant-based range, launched in 2018, uses innovative vegetable-based fibre allowing for natural recipes without artificial stabilisers while maintaining premium texture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Northern Bloc Core Ice Cream Range
Quantifiable outcome
- Supermarket sales of vegan range increased 60% during pandemic (March-November 2020 vs 2019)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Northern Bloc
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Northern Bloc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Northern Bloc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- English HeritageflagshipPartnership to bring Northern Bloc ice creams to English Heritage sites across England. Created two exclusive flavours inspired by British puddings: Apple Crumble and Custard, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Uses British ingredients including Bramley apples from UK orchards.
- Fareshare YorkshirecoreFood donation partnership to redistribute surplus stock. In 2021, supplied 68 frontline organisations and contributed to 7,297 meals. Partnership with Fareshare aligns with sustainability and community support values.
- Red Paddle CominorCreated world's first floating paddle up ice cream parlour (PUP) for National Ice Cream Month. Carbon-friendly sampling initiative combining sustainable paddleboarding with vegan ice cream distribution at UK beaches.
- North BrewingminorExclusive collaboration beer combining Northern Bloc's vegan raspberry and rhubarb ice cream with North Brewing's triple fruited sour beer. R&D Director Manolo worked with head brewer Seb on the project.
- Cake or DeathminorPartnership with vegan brownie company offering 50% discount code for Northern Bloc customers. Joint promotion recommending specific ice cream and brownie pairings.
- Joey's Café at Wray CastleminorPlant-based bakery and coffee house serving THE WHiP! soft serve ice cream. Selling approximately 400 WHiP! ice creams per day during summer season. Also available at Claife Viewing Station and Hill Top National Trust locations.
- Theatre Support Fund+coreLimited edition White Chocolate and Honeycomb ice cream 'The Show Must Go On!' with all proceeds donated to Theatre Support Fund+ supporting theatre staff during COVID-19 pandemic. Raised £9,000. Partnership acknowledges early theatre support for the brand.
- Vegan Societycore15+ vegan flavours registered with the Vegan Society as of 2020, validating plant-based credentials and ensuring consumer confidence in vegan claims.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Northern Bloc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ben & Jerry's (Unilever): Premium/super-premium Unilever-owned ice cream brand with extensive UK grocery and scoop-shop distribution including non-dairy lines. Comparable on premium flavour-led positioning and foodservice/retail dual channel; differs massively on scale and parent resources.
- Swedish Glace (Unilever): Long-standing plant-based ice cream brand owned by Unilever, sold across UK grocery. Comparable as a UK plant-based ice cream competitor with mainstream listings; differs as a mass-market incumbent versus Northern Bloc's premium positioning.
- Magnum (Unilever): Global premium ice cream brand from Unilever with a vegan range and broad UK grocery and impulse distribution. Comparable on premium impulse and plant-based product overlap; differs on scale, marketing budget and brand recognition.
- Häagen-Dazs (General Mills): Global super-premium ice cream brand sold through UK grocery and foodservice. Comparable on premium positioning and foodservice channel; differs as an incumbent luxury brand versus Northern Bloc's challenger artisanal/plant-based positioning.
Emerging players
- Oatly (UK ice cream): Swedish oat-based food company with a UK plant-based ice cream range sold through major grocers (Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose). Comparable as a plant-based frozen dessert competitor with strong retail distribution, though Oatly is a much larger scale operator.
- Frill: UK-based banana-based plant-based ice cream brand sold through foodservice and select retail. Comparable as a smaller UK plant-based ice cream challenger focused on foodservice and unique ingredient story.
Direct peers
- Oppo Brothers: UK premium ice cream brand positioned around lower-sugar, better-for-you indulgence, with retail listings in Tesco, Waitrose and others. Comparable on premium positioning, UK grocery distribution and brand-led NPD in indulgence-adjacent segments.
- Booja-Booja: UK-based maker of premium organic dairy-free ice cream and frozen desserts, with a strong foodservice and retail presence across health-food and grocery channels. Highly comparable to Northern Bloc's plant-based clean-label positioning, premium pricing and similar product format (small tubs, scoop tubs).
- Coconut Collaborative: UK plant-based frozen dessert brand (coconut milk-based ice cream, lollies and pots) sold through major UK grocers. Directly comparable on vegan credentials, retail distribution model and impulse/multipack formats.
- Jude's: UK premium ice cream brand offering dairy and plant-based ranges sold through major grocers (Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado) and foodservice. Closely comparable on premium-positioning, dual retail/foodservice GTM, UK base and similar flavour/NPD cadence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Northern Bloc social profiles
Digital presenceNorthern Bloc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Northern Bloc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Northern Bloc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Northern Bloc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Northern Bloc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Northern Bloc
What does Northern Bloc do?
Northern Bloc manufactures and sells premium all-natural ice cream in dairy and plant-based/vegan varieties across more than 25 bold flavours, supplied in consumer retail packs (500ml tubs and 4x100ml multipacks) and food-service formats (2.5L and 5L Napolis for scooping and 100ml impulse tubs). The company also offers a plant-based soft-serve mix called THE WHiP! for out-of-home operators and a fruit-based ice cream for dogs, distributing through UK supermarkets and food-service operators.
Is Northern Bloc a public or private company?
Northern Bloc is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Northern Bloc founded?
Northern Bloc was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Northern Bloc based?
Northern Bloc is headquartered in Leeds, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Northern Bloc make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Packaged Ice Cream is the primary driver. The others are food Service / Professional.
Who are Northern Bloc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ben & Jerry's (Unilever), Swedish Glace (Unilever), Magnum (Unilever) and Häagen-Dazs (General Mills). Emerging players are Oatly (UK ice cream) and Frill. Direct peers are Oppo Brothers, Booja-Booja, Coconut Collaborative and Jude's.
Does Northern Bloc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Northern Bloc.
What industry is Northern Bloc in?
Northern Bloc's product category is Premium Ice Cream. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAKAE, Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFAHAEAA, Ice Cream (Hard Pack) Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311520 and its SIC code is 2024.