Bel Group
| Private | |
| Industry | cheese |
| Founded | 1865 |
|
Key people
|
Antoine Fiévet (CEO) |
| Website | www |
The Bel Group (a.k.a. Groupe Bel or Fromageries Bel in French) is a multinational cheese marketer centered in France.
The Bel Group is headquartered at 2 allée de Longchamp in Suresnes (Paris)]. 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 in the Department of the Jura.
“The Laughing Cow”, “Babybel”, “Kiri”, “Leerdammer”, “Boursin” are Bel’s five core brands that are distributed on five continents. As of 2015, the Bel Group is established in 33 countries and its products are sold in 130 countries.
The company was founded in 1865 under the name of Établissements Jules Bel in Orgelet, by Jules Bel. By 1921, his son Léon Bel registered The laughing Cow brand. Eight years later, in 1929, he created its first subsidiary in the UK. 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 USA. Two years later, in 1972, it acquired Samos and launched Sylphide. The following year, in 1973, it acquired Crowson in the UK, 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 USA, later known as Bel Kaukauna.
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Wikipedia