Bel Group
WebsiteBel Group is a French dairy company headquartered in Suresnes near Paris. It dates back to 1865, and in 1921 Léon Bel registered The Laughing Cow (La vache qui rit), which brought the individually wrapped cheese portion to the market. Today Bel sells more than 30 brands in dairy, fruit and plant-based snacks, with over 11,000 employees and distribution in 126 countries.
Cheese brands
- Mini Babybel: wax-coated snack cheese, launched in 1952
- The Laughing Cow: spreadable cheese in triangle portions
- Kiri: cream cheese portions, launched in 1966
- Boursin: herb and garlic fresh cheese, acquired from Unilever in 2007
Bel also owns fruit pouch brands such as Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ.
Ownership
Bel is owned by the holding company Unibel and the Bel/Fiévet family group, so it is a family controlled French company. The portfolio centres on convenience portions, not on regional PDO cheeses, and Leerdammer belongs to Lactalis, not to Bel.