Groupe Bel - History

History

• 1865: Creation of “Établissements Jules Bel” in Orgelet (Department of the Jura).

• 1921: Registration of the brand “The laughing Cow”.

• 1929: Bel creates its first subsidiary in the UK.

• 1933: Creation of a subsidiary in Belgium.

• 1947: Launch of “Bonbel”.

• 1950: Acquisition of “Port Salut” created in 1816.

• 1952: Launch of “Babybel”.

• 1959: Creation of a subsidiary in Germany.

• 1960: Launch of “La vache qui rit” unflavored cocktail cubes. (that will become Apéricube in 1976).

• 1965: Creation of a subsidiary in Spain that will become Bel España. (Bel Spain).

• 1966: Launch of “Kiri”.

• 1967: Creation of a subsidiary in the Netherlands that will become Bel Nederland (Bel Netherlands).

• 1968: Les Fromageries Picon join the Group.

• 1970: Creation of a subsidiary in the USA.

• 1972: Acquisition of the company Samos. Launch of Sylphide.

• 1973: Acquisition of Crowson in the UK, that will become Bel UK and creation of a subsidiary in Switzerland that will become Bel Suisse (Bel Switzerland).

• 1974: Creation of a subsidiary in Morocco that will become SIALIM.

• 1976: Integration of the “Société anonyme des fermiers réunis"(SAFR) and its subsidiaries into the Bel Group.

• 1977: Acquisition of an Italian company that will become Bel Cademartori. Launch of Mini Babybel.

• 1978: Acquisition of a company in Sweden that will become Bel Sverige (Bel Sweden).

• 1989: Acquisition of the company Adler in Germany that will become Bel Adler (Edelcreme).

• 1990: Launch of “Mini Bonbel”.

• 1991: Acquisition of the company Maredsous in Belgium.

• 1994: Acquisition of the company Cademartori in Italy, which became Bel Cademartori in 2001 and of the company Queserías Ibéricas in Spain.

• 1995: Launch of “Pik & Croq’”. Creation of “Pick and Mix” with the launch of “6 au Choix”.

• 1996: Acquisition of the company Lacto Ibérica in Portugal (Limiano, Terra Nostra) and the company Kaukauna in the USA that will become Bel Kaukauna.

• 1998: Creation of a subsidiary in Egypt (Bel Egypt) and acquisition of Middle East Food Industry that will become the Bel Egypt Food Company. Acquisition of Kraft Chorzele in Poland that will become Bel Polska (Bel Poland). Launch of yellow “Mini Babybel” in Maasdam.

• 2000: Acquisition of the company Zeletavska Syrarna in the Czech Republic (Zeletava, Apetitto) and of the company Zempmilk in Slovakia (Karicka).

• 2001: Creation of a subsidiary in Algeria (Bel Algeria).

• 2002: Acquisition of the assets Merkts and Owl’s Nest by Bel Kaukauna in the USA. Acquisition of Syrokrem in Slovakia. Creation of subsidiaries in Greece (Bel Hellas Cheese Company) and in Tunisia (Bel Tunisia). Termination of SAFR’s soft cheese production. Acquisition of the companies in the Dutch Leerdammer Group and its European subsidiaries based in Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

• 2003: Termination of activities of Manchego of the Bel subsidiary Queserías Ibéricas.

• 2005: Termination of activities carried out under the Cademartori brand. Creation of a subsidiary in Syria (Bel Syria).

• 2000: Acquisition of Fromagerie Boursin from Unilever.

• 2009: Change of logo.

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