Press release
Paris - February 7, 2012
Leader in the United States cheese-in-portions market, the Bel Group is announcing
the construction of a new production plant designed to sustain
Bel’s continued growth in an ever-expanding market.
With this new plant, maker of The Laughing Cow®, Mini Babybel®, Kiri®, Leerdammer® and
Boursin® confirms its international growth strategy
February 7, 2012, Chicago, Ill. — The Bel Group via its subsidiary Bel Brands USA, today announced plans
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to build a new manufacturing facility in Brookings, S.D., to produce its Mini Babybel cheese. This new site
is intended to support the increased business activity of the Bel Group, which, thanks to The Laughing
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Cow and Mini Babybel brands, is the #1 producer of cheese in portions in the United States. Bel Brands
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USA also produces and sells Boursin as well as other local brands such as Merkts , Kaukauna for the
American market. Bel currently has two other production facilities in the U.S., located in Leitchfield,
Kentucky and Little Chute, Wisconsin.
Francine Moudry, previously Director of Operations for the Leitchfield plant, was recently appointed Project
Director to lead the planning and construction of the new Brookings manufacturing facility.
“The Bel Group made the decision to build an international presence very early on,” states Eric de Poncins,
Vice President of the Bel Americas and Asia-Pacific Region. “The Construction of this new production plant
in the United States is part of this approach and constitutes a prime example of the dynamism behind Bel's
growth not only in the United States but also in a great number of other markets around the world. This
growth is the result of striking an excellent balance between the risks and opportunities associated with
growth and implementing a strategy based on localizing production facilities as close to our customer bases
as possible.”
“The robust South Dakota dairy industry and its hard-working Midwestern values make Brookings an ideal
location for our new plant,” says Lance Chambers, General Manager of Bel Brands USA. “Bel Brands has
experienced significant growth over the past few years, and this new plant is essential to expanding our
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production capacity to meet the growing demand for our Mini Babybel cheeses.”
The Bel Group has more than doubled in size over the past four years. Three of the Company’s core
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brands: Mini Babybel , The Laughing Cow and Boursin have fuelled much of the growth. Mini Babybel ,
which represents close to one-third of Bel Brands’ U.S. sales, has almost tripled in size with consistent 25+
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percent growth. To date, sales of Mini Babybel in the U.S. total 8,000 metric tons. To meet the current
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demand, the company now imports more than 50 percent of the Mini Babybel business.
The Bel Group will invest approximately $120 million to build its new manufacturing plant. Plant construction
is planned in two phases. The Company will break ground on the first phase this summer. Bel Brands
expects to hire around 200 employees when the first phase of the plant becomes fully operational by 2014.
Phase 1 of the project will have a production capacity of approximately 10,000 metric tons. The second
phase of the plant, which is contingent on anticipated increased market demands, is envisioned to be built
in 2016-2017 and will bring another 200 jobs to the area.
About Bel Brands USA
About Bel Group
Bel Brands USA, Inc. manufactures and markets
branded cheeses, including The Laughing Cow®
cheese wedges and Mini Babybel® – America’s
#1 branded snacking cheese; as well as Boursin®,
Kaukauna®, Port Salut®, Leerdammer®,
WisPride®, Merkts®, Owls Nest®, Connoisseur®,
and Price*s® natural and gourmet cheese
spreads. Bel Brands USA was named as one of
Chicago’s “101 Best and Brightest Companies to
Work For” from 2009 - 2011. The company is
headquartered in Chicago, Ill., and operates two
manufacturing plants in Little Chute, Wis. and
Leitchfield, Ky. Bel Brands USA is a subsidiary of
Paris-based Bel Group
The Bel Group is a world leader in branded
cheeses. Its portfolio of differentiated and
internationally recognized brands, including such
products as The Laughing Cow, Kiri, Mini Babybel,
Leerdammer, and Boursin, as well as some 20
local brands, enabled the Group to generate sales
of €2.4 billion in 2010. Nearly 11,300 employees
in some 30 subsidiaries around the world
contribute to the Group's success. Its products
are produced at 26 industrial sites and
distributed in over 120 countries.
www.thelaughingcow.com.
www.bel-group.com