Willicroft
Willicroft is an Amsterdam-based producer of plant-based cheese and butter alternatives built on bean, lentil, and precision-fermented inputs. It sells through Dutch retailers (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Crisp, Picnic, EKOplaza), food service wholesalers, and meal box services, and is expanding into Germany and the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Willicroft does
Willicroft B.V. is an Amsterdam-based producer of plant-based cheese and butter alternatives, founded in 2018 by Brad Vanstone. The company's product range centers on bean- and lentil-based cheeses (Young Dutch, Greek White) and a cashew-based grated cheese (Italian Aged), with over 80% of the range reformulated to beans after a lifecycle assessment identified cashews as the highest-emitting ingredient. In 2023, Willicroft extended into plant-based butter with Original Better, produced via precision fermentation that replicates butyric acid and matches dairy butter's melting temperature. Lifecycle assessments, independently verified by Narrate, show emissions reductions of up to 25x versus dairy cheese equivalents and 7x versus dairy butter.
The company generates revenue through three primary channels: consumer retail via Dutch supermarkets (Albert Heijn in 350+ stores, Jumbo, EKOplaza) and online grocery platforms (Crisp, Picnic); food service and HoReCa through wholesalers (Chefcentraal, Instock Market) with bulk pack sizes and free sample requests; and meal box partnerships (Marley Spoon, HelloFresh, Boerschappen, De Krat, Veganbox). Distribution is now extending into Germany via Knuspr, Velivery, Frischeparadies, and Kokku, with the UK and Nordics as planned next markets under the May 2022 €2M pre-seed round led by Rockstart and PINC (Paulig's venture arm).
The company employs approximately 11 named individuals across co-founders, product development, communications, operations, and brand. Its governance includes a "Mother Nature CEO" concept, appointed in 2020, alongside co-founder Brad Vanstone (Head of Impact) and Margot Vandevoort (Head of Operations & Finance), with a chairman (Ewout Brouwers, former Picnic Head of Finance) and advisors from Catawiki, Tony's Chocolonely, InFarm, and PINC. Willicroft became Europe's first and only plant-based cheese B Corp in 2022 and operates a Dutch regenerative white bean farming pilot overseen by the Louis Bolt Institute across three farms in Noord-Holland, Gelderland, and Noord-Brabant.
Willicroft firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Willicroft
- Legal name
- Willicroft B.V.
- Website
- https://willicroft.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Willicroft is an Amsterdam-based producer of plant-based cheese and butter alternatives built on bean, lentil, and precision-fermented inputs. It sells through Dutch retailers (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Crisp, Picnic, EKOplaza), food service wholesalers, and meal box services, and is expanding into Germany and the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Willicroft industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives
- NAICS
- Cheese Manufacturing (311513)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dairy Alternatives (Plant-Based Milk, Yogurt, Creamers) (CRADACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plant-Based Butter & Spread Alternatives Processing (Margarine-style, Cultured Spreads) (AFAHAJAD)
Keywords
Where Willicroft is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Willicroft business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Willicroft generates revenue through the sale of plant-based cheese and butter products to consumers via retail supermarket chains (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, EKOplaza, Dekmarkt, Picnic) and online grocery delivery platforms (Crisp). Products are sold as packaged goods at standard retail price points.
- Food Service / B2B Sales: Willicroft sells its products in bulk volumes to cafes, bakeries, restaurants, and caterers. Food service customers can order via Chefcentraal, Instock Market, or directly via email. Free samples are offered to prospective food service clients.
- Meal Box / Food Box Partnerships: Willicroft products are featured as ingredients in meal box subscription services including Marley Spoon, HelloFresh, Boerschappen, De Krat, and Veganbox. Revenue is generated through wholesale supply agreements with these platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer Retail (Supermarkets & Online Grocery) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Food Service / B2B Bulk |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels6 records
Willicroft product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Willicroft manufactures and sells plant-based cheese and butter alternatives. Its product range includes Young Dutch (white-bean melting cheese), Italian Aged (cashew grated seasoning cheese), Greek White (white-bean feta alternative), and Original Better (plant-based butter produced via precision fermentation). Products are sold packaged at retail in supermarkets and online grocery platforms, in bulk pack sizes to food service operators, and wholesale to meal box subscriptions.
Product overview
Willicroft is a plant-based cheese and butter company based in Amsterdam that produces planet-proof alternatives to dairy products. The product portfolio includes four core products: Young Dutch (a white bean-based melting cheese for pizza, toasties, and oven dishes), Italian Aged (a cashew-based grated seasoning cheese), Greek White (a white bean-based feta alternative), and Original Better (a fermented plant-based butter). Over 80% of the range is based on beans and pulses. The company positions itself as Europe's first and only plant-based cheese B Corp and aims to become the world's first net-positive plant-based cheese company, with products emitting up to 25 times less carbon than the dairy cheese they replace.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Original Better: Plant-based butter created through precise fermentation, designed as a sustainable alternative to dairy butter with 7 times lower emissions and up to 15g less saturated fat.
- Italian Aged
- Young Dutch
- Greek White
- Original Sauce
Products and services
- Young Dutch
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 25x lower carbon emissions than dairy cheese (Greek White vs. dairy feta) and 7.5x lower for Young Dutch vs. dairy gouda, with further reductions planned through Dutch regenerative bean sourcing.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Willicroft
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Willicroft technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Willicroft partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Louis Bolt InstitutecoreThe Louis Bolt Institute oversees Willicroft's 2023 white bean pilot, providing guidance on regenerative farming practices across three farms in Noord-Holland, Gelderland, and Noord-Brabant. The partnership supports Willicroft's transitional farming program and goal to source beans regeneratively in the Netherlands.
- Dutch Farmers (Lamers Family Farm and others)coreWillicroft partners with Dutch arable and dairy farmers (including Lamers Family Farm in Herwen and others across Noord-Holland, Gelderland, and Brabant) to grow white beans domestically as part of a regenerative transitional farming pilot. The program aims to provide alternative income streams for dairy farmers and reduce supply chain emissions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Willicroft competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Violife: Plant-based cheese brand owned by Upfield, offering vegan cheese blocks, slices and grated products across European retailers. Direct competitor to Willicroft's Young Dutch, Italian Aged and Greek White in the same supermarket channels and category positioning.
- Sheese (Bute Island Foods): UK-based manufacturer of plant-based cheese using coconut oil formulations, distributed across UK and European retailers and food service. Closely comparable to Willicroft in product format (slices, blocks, grated) and HoReCa/supermarket distribution model.
- New Roots: Swiss plant-based cheese maker using cashew and other nut bases, distributed across European retail and specialty channels. Direct peer in product format, target consumer (flexitarian), and European specialty-retail go-to-market.
- Nuts For Cheese: Canadian plant-based cheese brand using fermented cashew bases, sold through retail and foodservice in North America and select international markets. Comparable in fermentation-based formulation approach and cheese-board/culinary positioning.
- Good Planet Foods: Plant-based cheese and butter brand focused on sustainability messaging and clean ingredients. Directly comparable to Willicroft in combining plant-based cheese and butter SKUs with strong environmental branding for retail consumers.
- Miyoko's Creamery: US-based premium plant-based cheese and butter brand using fermentation and cashew bases. Comparable to Willicroft in combining fermentation-based technology, premium positioning, and a sustainability-led brand story across cheese and butter SKUs.
Emerging players
- Fora Foods: Plant-based butter brand using a proprietary base and clean-ingredient formulation. Comparable to Willicroft's Original Better plant-based butter line in category and sustainability positioning, with a smaller scale and US focus.
- Fauxmagerie Zengarry: Canadian artisan plant-based cheese maker using cashew bases for cheese-board and specialty cheese formats. Comparable to Willicroft in targeting dairy-curious consumers seeking premium plant-based cheese experiences, rather than mass-market slices.
- Heidi Ho: Smaller plant-based cheese brand using cashew and coconut bases sold through specialty retail and food service. Comparable to Willicroft in scale, product format, and food-service focus, though primarily US-focused.
Broad incumbents
- Alpro (Danone): Danone-owned plant-based dairy brand covering milks, yogurts, creams, and increasingly plant-based alternatives across Europe. Broad incumbent competitor that competes with Willicroft for plant-based share of stomach and retailer shelf space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Willicroft social profiles
Digital presenceWillicroft financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Willicroft leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Willicroft funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Willicroft 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 Willicroft
What does Willicroft do?
Willicroft manufactures and sells plant-based cheese and butter alternatives. Its product range includes Young Dutch (white-bean melting cheese), Italian Aged (cashew grated seasoning cheese), Greek White (white-bean feta alternative), and Original Better (plant-based butter produced via precision fermentation). Products are sold packaged at retail in supermarkets and online grocery platforms, in bulk pack sizes to food service operators, and wholesale to meal box subscriptions.
Is Willicroft a public or private company?
Willicroft is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Willicroft founded?
Willicroft was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Willicroft based?
Willicroft is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Willicroft make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are food Service / B2B Sales and meal Box / Food Box Partnerships.
Who are Willicroft's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Violife, Sheese (Bute Island Foods), New Roots, Nuts For Cheese, Good Planet Foods and Miyoko's Creamery. Emerging players are Fora Foods, Fauxmagerie Zengarry and Heidi Ho. Alpro (Danone) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Willicroft have an API?
No public API is recorded for Willicroft.
What industry is Willicroft in?
Willicroft's product category is Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADACAF, Dairy Alternatives (Plant-Based Milk, Yogurt, Creamers), with a secondary code of AFAHAJAD, Plant-Based Butter & Spread Alternatives Processing (Margarine-style, Cultured Spreads). Its NAICS code is 311513 and its SIC code is 2020.