Bel Group

French family oriented group

Bel is specialized in the design and manufacture of quality brand name cheeses, adapted to the modern world and easily affordable. Its portfolio of different products on an international scale, such as La Vache qui Rit® (The Laughing Cow), Kiri®, Mini Babybel®, Leerdammer®, and Boursin®, as well as 25 local and international brand names (Apéricube®, Port Salut®), enabled it to make a turnover of approximately 2.4 billion Euros in 2010. Nearly 11,300 workers divided among thirty international subsidiaries, contribute to the success of the group. Its products are developed on 25 production sites and distributed in nearly 120 countries.

Inventor of new packaging and new ways of consuming, and pioneer in marketing and advertising for nearly 100 years, Bel Group is considered a precursor.  On board a boat, on a picnic, for a snack, or an aperitif, their cheeses can be spread or nibbled, and always savored all over the world. The strength of their products is how they adapt to different markets. Japan is an example where Bel succeed to adapt to local conditions. In reality, there is no culture of cheese consumption in Japan. However, the Bel subsidiary is growing steadily for several years; in 2010, an increase of 29% was recorded thanks to the performance of brands like Kiri®Nature and Belcube®. To succeed in the japanese market, Bel focused on the different cheese which can adapt to the local taste. The Kiri®stick with strawberry launched in 2010 is an example: a recipe flavored with strawberry and mixed together with crisp cookies to dip into the cheese tray. This innovation is part of the success of the year.

Key Figures

• 11,300 workers from 49 nationalities
• 25 production sites worldwide
• 4 research and development centers
• More than 30 local and international brands, present in 120 countries.
• Turnover in 2010: 2.4 billion Euros.

Thursday 21 May 2009, the Bel Group opened the “Maison de La Vache qui Rit®” in Lons-le-Saunier (Jura), a 3,450 m² centre devoted to the legendary red cow in which there are various events, exhibitions and wonderful encounters for all generations. Since 2009, more than 64 000 visitors have discovered the "Maison de la Vache qui Rit®".