Northern Bloc

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.

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

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

• Artisan ice cream
• Plant-based ice cream
• Vegan ice cream
• Soft serve mix
• Ice cream wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

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

1. 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.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• English HeritageflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Partnership 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 YorkshirecoreOthers · 1 January 2021Food 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 CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated 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 BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive 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 DeathminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership 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 CastleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlant-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+coreOthersLimited 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 SocietycoreOthers15+ 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/northern_bloc
• Facebookfacebook.com/northernbl0c
• Instagraminstagram.com/northern_bloc
• TikToktiktok.com/@northern_bloc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-bloc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Northern Bloc