Upfield

What Upfield does

Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield B.V.) is a global Culinary Essentials company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, operating across approximately 100 countries with ~4,600 employees and 14 manufacturing sites that produce over 90% of the products the company sells. The company markets a portfolio of more than 14 heritage consumer brands — including Flora, Becel, Blue Band, Country Crock, Rama, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Violife, Bertolli, Elmlea, Tulipan, Sana, Croma, and Red Barn — spanning spreads, butter and blends, cream and creamers, cheese and cream cheese, culinary liquids and sauces, and foodservice solutions, with deep local roots in regional food cultures. Its underlying technology is rooted in 150+ years of oils-and-fats food science and culinary craft, combined with vertical manufacturing integration rather than proprietary software or digital platforms.

The business generates revenue primarily through retail consumer packaged goods sold via supermarket, grocery, and convenience store channels, complemented by the Flora Professional foodservice arm that supplies milkshakes, ice cream, and culinary ingredients to commercial kitchens. The company is privately held and has been backed by KKR since approximately 2010, with additional portfolio growth delivered through M&A (including the 2019 acquisition of Arivia). Recent strategic emphasis has shifted from single-category spreads toward a multi-category culinary platform, formalized in the September 2024 corporate rebrand from Upfield B.V. to Flora Food Group B.V. Marketing reach is built through a mix of event sponsorships, celebrity partnerships (Gordon Ramsay for ICBINB!, Sony Pictures for Country Crock, TCS London Marathon for Flora UK), and social/earned media.

Name

Upfield

Legal name

Flora Food Group B.V.

Website

https://upfield.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield) is a global, Amsterdam-headquartered Culinary Essentials company selling branded spreads, butter, cream, cheese, sauces, and foodservice products across ~100 countries through a portfolio of 14+ heritage brands and 14 manufacturing sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Consumer Packaged Goods: Sale of branded Culinary Essentials (butter, spreads, cream, cheese, sauces) through retail grocery channels globally. Products sold to consumers through supermarket and convenience store partnerships across ~100 countries.
2. Foodservice Solutions: Professional foodservice solutions through Flora Professional brand, including milkshakes and ice cream products for commercial kitchens and food service operators.
3. Brand Licensing and Portfolio: Revenue from established consumer brands including Blue Band, Country Crock, Rama, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Flora, Becel, Violife, and others across multiple categories.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield B.V.) is a global Culinary Essentials company that manufactures and sells plant-based and dairy-based spreads, butter, cream, cheese, sauces, and other culinary ingredients across approximately 100 countries. Its multi-brand portfolio includes Blue Band, Country Crock, Rama, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Flora, Becel, Violife, Bertolli, Elmlea, and others, with value-added foodservice solutions (milkshakes and ice cream) delivered through Flora Professional. Over 90% of products are manufactured in the company's 14 owned manufacturing sites.

Product overview

Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield B.V.) is a global Culinary Essentials company offering a multi-brand portfolio across 10 categories including butter and blends/spreads, cream and creamers, cheese and cream cheese, culinary liquids and sauces, and value-added foodservice solutions. The company operates with a platform of leading consumer brands including Blue Band™, Country Crock™, Rama™, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!™, Flora™, Becel™, Violife™, Sana™, Croma™, Elmlea™, Tulipan™, Bertolli™, Flora Professional™, and Red Barn™ Creamery Butter. These brands are delivered through deep roots in local food culture across approximately 100 countries, with over 90% of products manufactured in the company's 14 manufacturing sites. The portfolio combines both plant-based and dairy ingredients to serve everyday cooking, baking, frying, roasting, barbecuing, spreading, and professional food preparation needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Band™: Brand offering spreads and culinary essentials.
• Country Crock™
• Rama™
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!™
• Flora™
• Becel™
• Violife™
• Sana™
• Croma™
• Elmlea™
• Tulipan™
• Bertolli™
• Flora Professional™

Products and services

• Blue Band™ Spreadable butter and margarine brand offering everyday culinary essentials for cooking, baking, and spreading. Available through retail grocery channels in regional markets.
• Country Crock™ Spreads and butter brand with a range of products for baking, cooking, and spreading occasions. Targeted at home cooks and families.
• Rama™ Heritage spreads and butter brand serving consumers across Europe with culinary essentials.
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!™ Plant-based butter alternative brand offering spreads with a focus on better nutrition, including the Next Level Better NutriRich Formula. Targeted at health-conscious home cooks.
• Flora™ Plant-based spread brand positioned around health and wellness, part of Flora Food Group's core portfolio. Sponsorship of TCS London Marathon drives brand visibility in the UK.
• Becel™ Heart-healthy spreads brand focused on products with essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6. Positioned for cardiovascular health-conscious consumers.
• Violife™ Plant-based cheese and cream cheese brand offering dairy-free alternatives for various culinary applications including cooking, baking, and spreading.
• Sana™ Regional spreads brand serving local food culture markets.
• Croma™ Spreads and butter brand serving specific regional markets.
• Elmlea™ Dairy-based cream and butter brand offering creamers and dairy essentials.
• Tulipan™ Regional spreads brand with deep roots in local food culture.
• Bertolli™ Premium spreads and cooking products brand known for olive oil-based culinary essentials.
• Flora Professional™ Foodservice-focused brand providing value-added solutions including milkshakes and ice cream products for professional chefs, commercial kitchens, restaurants, and catering operations.
• Red Barn™ Creamery Butter American dairy craft butter offering, representing Flora Food Group's entry into premium dairy butter products.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered notable.

• Sony PicturesnotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Country Crock brand partnered with Sony Pictures for the comedy film 'The Breadwinner,' a film celebrating busy families. This marketing collaboration promotes the Country Crock brand through film entertainment.
• Chef Gordon RamsaynotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! brand launched a new Next Level Better NutriRich Formula in collaboration with Chef Gordon Ramsay. This celebrity chef partnership promotes the brand through culinary expertise and visibility.
• TCS London MarathonnotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Flora UK returned as Official Partner of the TCS London Marathon. This sponsorship provides brand visibility and association with a major sporting event in the UK market.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oatly: Plant-based dairy company specializing in oat-based milk, cream, and ice cream. Comparable in plant-based positioning, foodservice channel focus, and brand-led premium pricing strategy.
• Conagra Brands: North American CPG company with competing spreads, butter blends, and culinary brands. Overlap is strongest in the US spreads and cooking ingredients category where Flora Food Group's Country Crock and ICBINB compete.
• Unilever: Global CPG conglomerate that historically owned the Flora brand and continues to compete in plant-based spreads (Becel, Rama in select markets) and culinary ingredients. Most direct comparable in terms of category, brand portfolio, and global retail distribution.
• Danone: Global food company with significant plant-based portfolio (Alpro) and dairy alternatives. Direct competitor in plant-based cream, cheese, and spreads across Europe and North America.
• Arla Foods: European dairy cooperative producing butter, spreads, and cheese under brands including Lurpak. Direct competitor in dairy butter/spreads across Northern Europe and emerging markets.
• Lactalis: World's largest dairy company, producing butter, cheese, and cream across global markets. Comparable in dairy ingredient sourcing and branded butter/spreads competition.

Broad incumbents

• Bunge Limited: Global agribusiness and food company focused on oilseed processing and refined oils. Comparable as a major player in the oils and fats value chain that supplies into Flora Food Group's product categories.
• Kerry Group: Global taste and nutrition company serving food, beverage, and foodservice customers with ingredients and flavor systems. Comparable in culinary solutions, foodservice channel, and food science capabilities.
• Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global food processing and ingredient company with significant oils, flavors, and plant-based protein businesses. Comparable in scale, ingredient sourcing, and plant-based portfolio exposure.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness and food ingredient giant with major oils & fats, dairy, and culinary solutions businesses. Overlaps with Flora Food Group in oils processing and B2B foodservice ingredients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florafoodgroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/florafoodgroup
• Xx.com/upfieldglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Upfield