Fromageries Bel
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFrench family-controlled dairy group best known for portioned, processed, fresh and spreadable cheese brands including The Laughing Cow, Kiri, Babybel and Boursin.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Fromageries Bel, commonly presented internationally as Bel Group or Groupe Bel, is a French family-controlled food company whose principal business is the development, production and marketing of branded cheese and dairy-based snacks. Its best-known brand is The Laughing Cow, known in France as La Vache qui rit, while its wider portfolio has included Kiri, Mini Babybel, Babybel, Boursin, Leerdammer, Port Salut, Bonbel and Apericube, together with regional and country-specific labels. Through acquisitions and local subsidiaries, the company has also participated in fruit-based and other convenient snack categories, notably through the MOM Group brands Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ. The business traces its origins to 1865 and the Bel family’s cheese-making activity in eastern France. In its early industrial development, the company produced traditional cheeses including Gruyère and Swiss varieties. It subsequently developed a cooked, blended cheese using cheese varieties and by-products such as Comté and Emmental. Cooking improved preservation and produced a soft, moldable texture suitable for standardized retail portions. This product platform became the foundation for Bel’s long-term specialization in processed and portion cheese. A decisive turning point came in 1921, when the company registered the La Vache qui rit trademark. Léon Bel worked with illustrator Benjamin Rabier, whose smiling cow design gave the product a highly recognizable visual identity. Sold in small round metal containers and promoted as a modern cheese, the brand became associated with children, family consumption and accessible convenience. Bel supported it with unusually modern marketing for the period, including posters, radio and branded sporting events. The cow character and its translated local names later enabled the product to travel across national markets while retaining a common identity. From the postwar period onward, Bel expanded through subsidiaries, local production and acquisitions. It established operations in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Egypt and other markets, while building positions in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Kiri, launched in 1966, broadened the company’s appeal in children's and family cheese. The acquisition of Kaukauna Cheese in Wisconsin in 1996 strengthened Bel’s United States presence and added a regional cold-pack cheese business. Other transactions brought brands such as Limiano and Terra Nostra in Portugal, as well as additional local cheese labels. Bel’s growth strategy has combined global brands with country-specific products and distribution. Its portioned formats are particularly suited to lunchboxes, snacking, food service and controlled servings, while fresh, spreadable and specialty cheeses extend the group into more premium occasions. The acquisition of Boursin from Unilever expanded Bel into fresh flavored cheese and gave it a premium brand with an established presence in multiple countries. In 2016, Bel acquired a majority interest in MOM Group, adding fruit pouches and healthy-snacking brands to its traditional dairy portfolio. Bel later completed the purchase of the remaining MOM capital in 2022. The group has also reshaped its portfolio. In 2021, Bel announced an agreement to sell Leerdammer and associated businesses to Lactalis in exchange for a stake in certain Lactalis assets. Bel has continued to emphasize branded food, international distribution, product innovation and more sustainable food models, including work on plant-based and alternative-protein offerings. As an independent, family-controlled group, it remains focused on a portfolio of globally recognizable food brands rather than operating as part of Lactalis, despite Lactalis having held a minority financial interest in Fromageries Bel. Its corporate purpose and communications have increasingly highlighted sharing, nutrition, responsible marketing and environmental performance.
History
Fromageries Bel began in 1865 as a family cheese business associated with Jules Bel and Léon Bel in France. Its early operations included traditional Swiss-style cheeses and later the development of a cooked blended cheese. By combining cheese varieties such as Comté and Emmental and applying heat, Bel created a product with a soft texture, extended shelf life and consistent portioning potential. This technical and commercial direction helped distinguish the company from producers focused primarily on pressed or molded cheeses. In 1921, Bel registered the La Vache qui rit trademark. Léon Bel commissioned Benjamin Rabier, an illustrator known for animal drawings, to create the laughing-cow emblem. The character became central to the product’s packaging and advertising, helping consumers recognize the cheese across different formats and markets. The product was sold in small portions and promoted as a modern, convenient cheese. Bel used posters, radio and promotional events, including branded cycling activities, to establish a close relationship between the character and family consumption. The company expanded its manufacturing and commercial footprint after the Second World War. A German subsidiary was established in 1959, followed by operations in Spain in 1965 and the Netherlands in 1967. Kiri was introduced in 1966, broadening the portfolio with a creamy cheese aimed especially at children and families. In 1968, Les Fromageries Picon merged with Bel, contributing to the group’s consolidation in the French cheese industry. During the late twentieth century, Bel pursued international expansion through both subsidiaries and acquisitions. It acquired or developed businesses in Portugal, the United States, Egypt, Slovakia, Greece, Tunisia and other markets. The 1996 acquisition of Kaukauna Cheese in Wisconsin strengthened Bel’s American operations, while the acquisition of Portuguese businesses brought the Limiano and Terra Nostra brands. In the United States, further transactions included the assets of Merkts and Owl's Nest. Bel’s strategy was to combine international brands such as The Laughing Cow, Babybel and Kiri with local labels adapted to national tastes. The group expanded its European cheese portfolio through the acquisition of the Leerdammer Group and its associated subsidiaries. It also acquired Boursin from Unilever, giving Bel a stronger position in fresh flavored cheese and adding a premium brand with established distribution. The 2009 UK campaign that revived Boursin’s historic advertising line illustrated Bel’s approach of combining heritage branding with renewed media investment. In 2016, Bel acquired 65 percent of MOM Group from LBO France alongside MOM management. The transaction added Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ and was intended to create a larger international healthy-snacking platform. Bel later moved to full ownership, completing the acquisition of the remaining MOM capital in 2022. In parallel, the company continued to operate across cheese, dairy snacks, food service and selected adjacent convenience categories. Bel subsequently reviewed its portfolio and strategic priorities. In 2021 it announced an agreement involving the sale of the Leerdammer brand and related businesses to Lactalis in exchange for a stake in certain Lactalis assets. Bel has emphasized that its controlling ownership remains with the founding family through Unibel and that Lactalis has not exercised an operating role in Bel. More recent corporate messaging has focused on responsible communications, nutrition, sustainable sourcing, lower environmental impact and the development of healthier and more sustainable food models. The company remains active internationally, with a portfolio built around portion cheese, family brands, snack formats and local market expertise.
- 2022
MOM fully acquired
[8]Bel completed the acquisition of the remaining capital of MOM Group.
- 2021
Leerdammer disposal agreement announced
[1]Bel announced an agreement with Lactalis concerning the Leerdammer brand and related businesses as part of portfolio reshaping.
- 2016
MOM Group majority acquisition completed
[4]Bel acquired 65 percent of MOM Group, adding Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ to its portfolio.
- 2009
Boursin heritage campaign revived in the UK
[5]Bel relaunched Boursin’s iconic advertising platform in a national television and press campaign.
- 1996
Kaukauna acquired
[7]Bel acquired Kaukauna Cheese in Wisconsin, expanding its United States presence and cold-pack cheese activities.
- 1966
Kiri launched
[1]Kiri entered the portfolio, strengthening Bel’s creamy cheese and child-focused family offering.
- 1959
German subsidiary established
[1]Bel expanded its international operating structure with a subsidiary in Germany.
- 1921
La Vache qui rit trademark registered
[2]Bel registered the trademark that became The Laughing Cow and adopted Benjamin Rabier’s laughing-cow visual identity.
- 1865
Bel family cheese business established
[1]The business associated with Jules Bel and Léon Bel was founded in France, forming the historical base of the future Bel Group.
Products and positioning
Family-oriented branded dairy and convenient snacking, ranging from accessible portion cheese to premium fresh and flavored cheese.
Processed portion cheese · 1921
The Laughing Cow
Bel’s signature processed cheese brand, sold in individually portioned formats and marketed internationally under translated names. Its red laughing-cow character, created from Benjamin Rabier’s design, is one of the company’s most durable brand assets. The product is associated with family use, children's meals, lunchboxes and convenient spreading.
Creamy fresh cheese · 1966
Kiri
A creamy cheese brand introduced in the 1960s and positioned around mild taste, soft texture and family consumption. Kiri has been especially associated with children’s snacks and meals, while its format and recipes have been adapted for different markets.
Natural cheese snack
Mini Babybel
A small, individually wrapped natural cheese designed for portable snacking. Its distinctive wax coating and compact round format support lunchbox, school and on-the-go use. It is one of Bel’s principal international snack brands.
Fresh flavored cheese
Boursin
A premium fresh and flavored cheese brand known particularly for garlic-and-herb varieties. Bel acquired Boursin from Unilever and used its international network to seek wider distribution. The brand targets aperitif, entertaining and premium everyday eating occasions.
Natural cheese
Leerdammer
A European natural cheese brand that expanded Bel’s presence beyond processed and portion products. It was later included in an agreement to transfer the brand and related businesses to Lactalis.
Fruit-based snack
Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ
Fruit-purée pouch brands added through the MOM Group acquisition. They extended Bel into convenient, portion-controlled snacks and helped balance the group’s traditional cheese portfolio with non-dairy or dairy-adjacent products.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Boursin: Du pain, du vin, du Boursin
United Kingdom
Bel revived Boursin’s long-running bread, wine and Boursin advertising line in a television and press campaign featuring a French countryside picnic interrupted by an unexpected event.
Outcome. The campaign reintroduced a familiar brand platform after more than a decade without a comparable Boursin campaign.
- 1920The Laughing Cow character and modern-cheese advertising
France · International markets
Bel built the La Vache qui rit brand around Benjamin Rabier’s laughing-cow illustration and promoted the product through packaging, posters, radio and branded events. The character became a portable identity that could be localized while remaining recognizable.
Outcome. The campaign platform helped make The Laughing Cow one of Bel’s enduring international brands.
Brand decisions
2022
Complete the acquisition of MOM GroupM&ABackground
Bel sought full control of the healthy-snacking platform it had entered through the 2016 majority acquisition.
Action taken
Bel acquired the balance of MOM Group’s capital.
Aftermath
MOM became fully controlled within the Bel group.
2021
Reshape the Leerdammer portfolioM&ABackground
Bel reviewed its portfolio while maintaining focus on branded cheese, snacks and international growth.
Action taken
The group announced an agreement with Lactalis involving the sale of Leerdammer and related subsidiaries in exchange for a stake in certain Lactalis assets.
Aftermath
The transaction reduced Bel’s direct Leerdammer operations and clarified the separation between Bel’s family-controlled business and Lactalis’s operating structure.
2016
Acquire a majority stake in MOM GroupM&ABackground
Bel wanted to expand beyond cheese into healthy and convenient snacking while combining complementary brands and geographic coverage.
Action taken
Bel and MOM management completed the acquisition of MOM from LBO France, with Bel holding 65 percent and MOM management retaining 35 percent.
Aftermath
Pom'Potes and GoGo squeeZ joined Bel’s portfolio, creating a broader platform in portioned snacks.
1996
Acquire Kaukauna CheeseM&ABackground
Bel was pursuing growth in the United States and sought to strengthen its position in cold-pack and branded cheese.
Action taken
The group acquired Kaukauna Cheese in Wisconsin and incorporated it into its American operations.
Aftermath
The transaction increased Bel’s U.S. presence and added regional cheese brands and capabilities.
Recent events
Sources9 sources
- 1Bel Groupen.wikipedia.org
- 2Fromageries Belencyclopedia.com
- 3Fromageries Bel company historycompany-histories.com
- 4Fromageries Bel completes acquisition of MOM Groupglobenewswire.com
- 5TV campaign reprises 'Du pain, du vin, du Boursin'campaignlive.co.uk
- 6Bel's shareholding structure and brandsmarketscreener.com
- 7Kaukauna acquiredfundinguniverse.com
- 8MOM fully acquiredmarketscreener.com
- 9Bel集团加强减碳承诺perishablenews.com
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