French Dairy Giant Is Set To Release Vegan Babybel Cheese Next Year

French dairy giant Bel Group is entering the plant-based market space. The company is preparing vegan versions for its core products - Babybel and The Laughing Cow.

The mini vegan Babybel cheeses will launch internationally next year. This month, Bel is planning to launch a plant-based version of its creamy Boursin Garlic & Herbs cheese spread. The vegan version was developed with the help of legendary vegan company - Follow Your Heart.

“For the past year, we have been accelerating the [Bel] Group’s transformation, with the conviction that a responsible and profitable growth is possible: an enlightened ‘capitalism’ that is moving from a logic of balance of power to a logic of value sharing, beyond any major stakes,” Bel Group’s Executive Vice President Cécile Béliot told Food Dive. “This is what guides all the [Bel] Group’s actions today,” she added.

The company says it is developing the plant-based products portfolio to meet the increasing consumer demand for vegan products.

This year, Bel Group’s acquired a French plant-based startup All in Foods, the owner of Nature & Moi brand which makes plant-based fresh cheese spreads, blocks and slices.