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The Bel Group ( Groupe Bel or Fromageries Bel in
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
) is a multinational cheese marketer centered in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.


Overview

The Bel Group is headquartered at 2 allée de Longchamp in
Suresnes Suresnes () is a commune in the western inner suburbs of Paris, France. Located in Hauts-de-Seine, from the centre of Paris, it had a population of 49,482 as of 2020. Suresnes borders the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, ...
(near Paris),
ĂŽle-de-France The ĂŽle-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
. (delisted on 25/01/2022) It manufactures and distributes processed and semi processed cheeses, frequently packaged in individual portions. The company “Établissements Jules Bel” was founded in 1865 in
Orgelet Orgelet () is a commune in the Jura department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It was created in 1973 by the merger of two former communes: Orgelet-le-Bourget and Sézéria. The town is recognized as a remarkable heritage site ...
in the Department of the Jura.
The Laughing Cow The Laughing Cow ( ) is a brand of processed cheese products made by Fromageries Bel since 1921. The name refers in particular to the brand's most popular product, the spreadable wedge. Description The cheese is a blend of cream, milk, and fres ...
,
Babybel Mini Babybel is a brand of small snack cheese products that are individually packaged and available in various flavors. It is a product of , a company with roots in the Jura Mountains, Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Half of th ...
, Kiri,
Leerdammer Leerdammer () is a Dutch semihard cheese made from cow's milk. It has an ageing time around 3–12 months. It has a creamy white texture and was made to be similar in appearance and flavor to Emmental. Its sweet and somewhat nutty flavour becomes ...
and
Boursin Boursin () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the northern Hauts-de-France region of France 12 miles (19 km) south of Calais. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of t ...
are Bel's five core brands that are distributed on five continents. As of 2024, the Bel Group has 30 production sites, and its products are sold in 120 countries


History

The company was founded in 1865 by
Jules Bel Jules Bel (30 September 1842 – 11 January 1904) was a French cheese maker. He was the founder of Groupe Bel The Bel Group ( Groupe Bel or Fromageries Bel in French) is a multinational cheese marketer centered in France. Overview The Bel Gro ...
, under the name of ''Établissements Jules Bel'' in
Orgelet Orgelet () is a commune in the Jura department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It was created in 1973 by the merger of two former communes: Orgelet-le-Bourget and Sézéria. The town is recognized as a remarkable heritage site ...
. By 1921, his son
Léon Bel Léon Bel (28 July 1878 – 19 July 1957) was a French businessman known for creating The Laughing Cow cheese brand. Early life Léon Bel was born on 28 July 1878 in Orgelet in rural France.
registered the ''La vache qui rit'' brand.Elsa Bembaron
La Vache qui rit, héroïne de la Première Guerre mondiale
''
Le Figaro () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It was named after Figaro, a character in several plays by polymath Pierre Beaumarchais, Beaumarchais (1732–1799): ''Le Barbier de Séville'', ''The Guilty Mother, La Mère coupable'', ...
'', August 10, 2012
Eight years later, in 1929, he created its first subsidiary in the United Kingdom. By 1933, another subsidiary was established in Belgium. In 1947, the ''Bonbel'' brand was launched. Three years later, in 1950, the company acquired ''Port Salut'', which had been founded in 1816. By 1952, it launched ''Babybel''. A new subsidiary was established in Germany in 1959. Six years later, in 1965, another subsidiary was established in Spain; it would later become known as Bel España. (Bel Spain). The ''Kiri'' brand was launched in 1966. Meanwhile, a year later, in 1967, another subsidiary was established in the Netherlands; it would later become known as Bel Nederland (Bel Netherlands). The following year, in 1968, Les Fromageries Picon merged with the company. By 1970, a new subsidiary was established in the United States. Two years later, in 1972, it acquired Samos and launched Sylphide. The following year, in 1973, it acquired Crowson in the United Kingdom, later to become known as Bel UK. That same year, it also established a subsidiary in Switzerland, later to become known as Bel Suisse (Bel Switzerland). A year later, in 1974, it established a subsidiary in Morocco, later known as SIALIM. In 1976, it acquired the ''Société anonyme des fermiers réunis'' (SAFR) and its subsidiaries. By 1977, it acquired an Italian company, later to become known as Bel Cademartori. It also launched ''Mini Babybel''. A year later, in 1978, it acquired another company in Sweden, later to become known as Bel Sverige (Bel Sweden). By 1989, it acquired the Adler company in Germany, later to become known as Bel Adler (Edelcreme). It then launched the ''Mini Bonbel'' in 1990. A year later, in 1991, it acquired the Maredsous company in Belgium. Three years later, in 1994, it acquired the Cademartori company in Italy, later to become known as Bel Cademartori in 2001. It also acquired the Queserías Ibéricas company in Spain. By 1996, it acquired the Lacto Ibérica company in Portugal (Limiano, Terra Nostra) and the Kaukauna company in the United States, later known as Bel Kaukauna. In 1998, it established a subsidiary in Egypt (Bel Egypt) and acquired the Middle East Food Industry, later known as the Bel Egypt Food Company. It also acquired Kraft Chorzele in Poland, later to become known as Bel Polska (Bel Poland). Additionally, it launched ''Mini Babybel'' in Maasdam. By 2000, it acquired the Zeletavska Syrarna company in the Czech Republic (Zeletava, Apetitto) and the Zempmilk company in Slovakia (Karicka). The following year, in 2001, it established a subsidiary in Algeria, known as Bel Algeria. A year later, in 2002, it acquired the assets of Merkts and Owl's Nest through its United States based subsidiary, Bel Kaukauna. It also acquired Syrokrem in Slovakia and established subsidiaries in Greece (Bel Hellas Cheese Company) and in Tunisia (Bel Tunisia). Additionally, it terminated the production of soft cheese by the SAFR. It also acquired the Dutch Leerdammer Group and its European subsidiaries based in Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Czech Republic. It also acquired Fromagerie Boursin from Unilever. In 2003, it terminated the activities of Manchego through its Queserías Ibéricas subsidiary. Two years later, in 2005, it terminated the activities carried out under the Cademartori brand. Meanwhile, it established subsidiary in Syria, known as Bel Syria. By 2009, it changed its logo. In 2015, it acquired 70% of Safilait, a cheese company in Morocco.Le groupe Bel rachète la troisième laiterie marocaine
'' Boursorama'', 29/05/2015


Bel's corporate foundation

Bel's Corporate Foundation was created in May 2008 by the Bel group and its reference shareholder, Unibel. The Bel Foundation was created to promote a balanced diet and preserving the environment, as far as it is required for a healthy diet. Rather than support big initiatives, the Foundation supports a number of projects around the world.


Lab'Bel

Lab’Bel is Bel's Art Laboratory, inaugurated in the spring of 2010, and sponsored by the Group and its main shareholder, Unibel. Heading up Lab’Bel are artist Laurent Fiévet, a member of the Bel family, and Silvia Guerra, an art critic and exhibit curator. Since its founding, Bel has supported artists such as illustrators
Benjamin Rabier Benjamin Rabier (1864–1939) was a French illustrator, comic book artist and animator. He became famous for creating the logo for Laughing Cow Cheese ''(The Laughing Cow, La vache qui rit),'' and is one of the precursors of animal comics. His w ...
, who designed the Laughing Cow,
Francisque Poulbot Francisque Poulbot (6 February 1879, in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis – 16 September 1946, in Paris) was a French people, French (literally, "poster designer"), draughtsman and illustrator. Biography He was born in a family of tea ...
, known for his iconic drawings of Parisian children, and celebrated animator
Paul Grimault Paul Grimault (; 23 March 1905 – 29 March 1994) was one of the most important French animators. He made many traditionally animated films that were delicate in style, satirical, and lyrical. His most important work is ''Le Roi et l'oiseau'' ...
. Bel sponsors a museum dedicated to its legendary cow – La Maison de La vache qui rit (The Laughing Cow Museum), in
Lons-le-Saunier Lons-le-Saunier () is a commune and capital of the Jura Department, eastern France. Geography The town is in the heart of the Revermont region, at the foot of the first plateau of the Jura massif. The Jura escarpment extends to the east a ...
– which also houses special events hosted by Lab’Bel.


Bel Group brands

* Adler-Edelcrème * Apéricube (PartyCubes, Belcube, Cheese&Fun) (1960) *
Babybel Mini Babybel is a brand of small snack cheese products that are individually packaged and available in various flavors. It is a product of , a company with roots in the Jura Mountains, Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Half of th ...
(1952, full size; 1977, mini) *
Bonbel Mini Babybel is a brand of small snack cheese products that are individually packaged and available in various flavors. It is a product of , a company with roots in the Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Half of the global produc ...
(1947) *
Boursin Boursin () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the northern Hauts-de-France region of France 12 miles (19 km) south of Calais. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of t ...
(2007) * Cantadou * Cousteron * KariÄŤka * Karper (2006) * Kaukauna * Kiri (1966) *
Leerdammer Leerdammer () is a Dutch semihard cheese made from cow's milk. It has an ageing time around 3–12 months. It has a creamy white texture and was made to be similar in appearance and flavor to Emmental. Its sweet and somewhat nutty flavour becomes ...
(2002) * Limiano * Maredsous * Merkts * Nurishh * Picon *
Port Salut Port Salut () is a semi-soft pasteurised cow's milk cheese from Pays de la Loire, France, with a distinctive orange rind and a mild flavour. The cheese is produced in wheels approximately 23 cm (9 inches) in diameter, weighing approx ...
* Price's * Régal Picon * Smetanito / Želatava * Sylphide * Syrokrém * Terra Nostra * Toastinette *
The Laughing Cow The Laughing Cow ( ) is a brand of processed cheese products made by Fromageries Bel since 1921. The name refers in particular to the brand's most popular product, the spreadable wedge. Description The cheese is a blend of cream, milk, and fres ...
() (1921) * Le Véritable Port Salut (1950) * Wispride


See also

*
List of cheesemakers This is a list of notable cheesemakers. Cheesemakers are people or companies that make cheese, who have developed the knowledge and skills required to convert milk into cheese. Cheesemaking involves controlling precisely the types and amounts of ...


References


External links


Le Groupe Bel

Fondation Bel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bel Cheesemakers Dairy products companies of France French brands Food and drink companies established in 1865 Companies based in ĂŽle-de-France French companies established in 1865