Babybel snack pack with veggies, cracker, meat and nuts

Cheese spread topped with bacon and jalapeños

Bread slices with cheese spread and mushrooms

Our Story

Taste the

Difference

At Bel Foodservice, we’re committed to crafting the best, most delicious cheese available. We believe cheese should enhance every eating experience and perform the way chefs and our operator customers expect from high-quality ingredients. Built upon our strong French heritage, we’ve been nurturing our beloved cheese brands for over 150 years, spreading happiness and smiles to generations of guests.

From rich, creamy spreads to dairy-free offerings and snacking selections, we strive to bring authentic flavors, craveable inspiration, and exceptional flexibility to your menu. Whether you service onsite or off, prepare delivery orders, meal kits or grab ‘n go packs, Bel Foodservice offers better ingredients and products so you can serve the very best in your operation.

Along with our family of brands and flexible formats, look to Bel Foodservice for culinary solutions and marketing tools that benefit your business, helping to bring efficiencies back of house and unmatched flavor to your menu.

Stewards of the Planet

our promise of sustainability is rooted

in everything we do

our promise of sustainability is rooted

in everything we do

Our promise of sustainability is rooted in everything we do. As cheesemakers on a global scale, we know that energy and water use are our biggest impacts on the planet. We’ve reduced water
consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and our use of oil and energy. In 2012, we partnered with the World Wildlife Fund, working toward sustainable dairy practices around the world. Since then we have continued to make progress in our commitments and efforts to do better.

Learn More Here

A Flavorful History leads to

A Rich Future

A story of quality and innovation. Though our history starts across the ocean, we’ve since planted roots in Chicago and continue to share goodness with cheese lovers everywhere.

Black and white classic photo of a The Laughing Cow warehouse

1865 our birthplace across the sea

Jules Bel began cheese ripening and trading in France’s Jura region. Following his death in 1904, his son Leon Bel took over the business. In 1921 Leon trademarked The Laughing Cow®, and the tasty, affordable, portable potential of processed cheese was born. Completely new to France, it was unique in recipe, texture, and individual portion presentation.

Bel Brands plant in Leitchfield, Kentucky

1970 arrival in america

The Bel Group made its start in America by purchasing the Avalon Cheese plant in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Avalon Cheese became “Bel Cheese” and began producing cheddar by the barrel. The Leitchfield, KY plant began making The Laughing Cow® cheese wedges in 1974, soon moving on to Babybel® waxed semi-soft cheeses.

Workers wearing hairnets and gloves working on a Kaukauna assembly line

1974 movement further west

In 1974, top brand Kaukauna® Cheese moved to its present facility in the Little Chute Industrial Park in Little Chute, Wisconsin. Bel maintained its Little Chute presence through 1996, when Fromageries Bel and WisPride joined forces with Kaukauna® Cheese to form Bel/Kaukauna U.S.A.

2006 Our Headquarters

Bel Brands USA moved its corporate headquarters from our manufacturing facility in Little Chute to Elk Grove Village, Illinois in 2006. In 2011, we moved to the heart of the business district in downtown Chicago, Illinois, where we’re headquartered today.

2012 Planting Deeper Roots

Bel announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art Mini Babybel plant in Brookings, South Dakota in 2012 to meet the growing consumer demand for Mini Babybel in the US. Ground broke in July, and construction was completed in 2014 with nearly 250 new employees.

Two women cutting a red ribbon with ceremonial scissors

TODAY Looking To The Future

150 years after the Bel family adventure began, our success continues. Present in over 130 countries, backed by 12,000 employees worldwide and bringing smiles to over 400 million consumers, Bel ranks third worldwide in branded cheeses. The Bel Group aims to double its size by 2025, and Bel Brands USA is honored to be one of its strongest arms.