Pioneering the future of food with plant-based innovation

Petite fille buvant une gourde Pom'Potes

Faced with a growing consumer demand for healthy, tasty, and environmentally friendly alternatives, we are committed to promoting healthier and more sustainable eating for everyone. Bel Group's transformation towards a sustainable model, placing responsibility at the heart of its decision-making, is driven by the goal of creating a perfectly balanced product portfolio: 50% dairy and 50% plant-based.

We are focusing on innovations based on alternative proteins, whether plant-based or fermentation-derived. We are developing fermented or aged plant-based alternatives and substitutes suited for various uses. These advancements provide delicious and accessible products for all, while envisioning new food industry models that are more respectful of our resources.

Innovating with plants to power a sustainable diet

Bel is on a mission to bring plant-based goodness to everyone, striking the perfect balance between its dairy and plant-based offerings, fruit included. The Group is rolling out plant-based recipes from its powerhouse brands: The Laughing Cow®, Mini Babybel®, and Boursin®. Across the US, Canada, and Europe, The Laughing Cow® has unveiled a new almond-based range. Designed for anyone seeking delicious plant-based options, the portions are available in Plain and Garlic & Herb, with a zesty Chili flavor soon to be added. Meanwhile, Boursin®'s new plant-based recipe has launched to wide acclaim in the UK, Belgium, and France, proving to be a resounding success.

Introducing the new Pom'Potes® Four Seasons and Materne® "Envie de" recipes, deliciously blended with 3% to 10% of veggies like carrot, pumpkin, and beetroot. They’re designed to help the whole family enjoy more fruits and vegetables, no matter the season.

BOURSIN PLANT-BASED

Boursin® is shaking up the market with its new plant-based creation, Garlic & Fine Herbs. This alternative masterfully reinterprets the brand’s aromatic signature by combining fresh garlic, flavorful parsley, and delicate chives in a carefully selected organic coconut oil base. Staying true to the Boursin® identity, this innovation comes in the brand’s iconic packaging, ensuring a sensory experience just as satisfying as the traditional version. This breakthrough showcases our commitment to blending exquisite taste, premium quality, and eco-friendly practices, perfectly addressing the new consumer demand for plant-based alternatives without compromising on enjoyment.

COCAGNE PROJECT, A NEW GENERATION OF PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES

To meet the growing appetite for alternatives that combine health, flavor, and environmental respect, our Group is speeding up plant-based innovation through the Cocagne Project. In collaboration with companies Avril, Lallemand, and Protial, we are developing plant-based cheese alternatives that are either fermented or aged to faithfully replicate the taste, texture, and natural qualities of traditional cheeses, while catering to their varied culinary uses.

An innovative research and development project backed by a collective investment of 9 million euros over three years, it focuses on creating unique nutritional offerings that are healthier, environmentally friendly, minimally processed, and utilize agricultural raw materials.

This project focuses on harnessing fermentation and aging processes to elevate the consumer experience and meet new expectations. Born in Vendôme, this flagship initiative from Groupe Bel has gained the backing of BPI France through the France 2030 program.

PROTEINS FROM FERMENTATION

Fermentation stands out as a key technology for developing non-animal alternative proteins. Our team works closely with innovative startups specializing in this field, including Standing Ovation and Superbrewed, to explore the potential applications of these bioprocesses. These strategic partnerships enable us to fast-track the development of sustainable solutions that meet the evolving consumer demand for non-animal-based dairy alternatives.

Unlocking Value in Dairy Co-Products

In collaboration with Standing Ovation—a French biotech pioneer specializing in alternative proteins through precision fermentation—we have developed a breakthrough innovation for the dairy industry. This major technological advancement involves a sophisticated biotechnological process that transforms dairy effluents, particularly whey, into functional caseins. This technical feat, at the crossroads of bioeconomy and circular economy, provides a concrete solution to contemporary challenges of food sovereignty and the transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems. The Bel – Standing Ovation partnership serves as a unique competitive lever for the food of the future.

FERMENTS OF THE FUTURE

Bel is actively involved in "Ferments of the Future," a strategic public-private innovation program coordinated by INRAE and ANIA, with an investment of 48.3 million euros over ten years as part of the France 2030 plan.

In addition, we contribute significantly to the multidisciplinary consortium MetaPath, funded by Bpifrance and developed in synergy with industry leaders like Lesaffre, Abolis Biotechnologies, and the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute. This innovative project in genomics and metabolomics seeks to model the activity of microbial ecosystems in food matrices, thereby optimizing and directing fermentation processes to yield measurable benefits in health, nutritional value, and organoleptic qualities.

Since 2025, our group has benefited from strategic European funding as part of the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie program. We actively participate in this network of excellence, composed of 11 associates and 7 institutional partners, combining their expertise in support of the food transition. Our involvement in this pivotal collaboration enables us to contribute to the development of fundamental knowledge and the training of a new generation of highly skilled researchers, equipped to tackle the critical challenges of tomorrow's food industry.

"The consumer is our starting point. In twelve to eighteen months, we turn their expectations into reality. From the technical brief with marketing to factory implementation, through to lab experimentation on a pilot scale. Consumer tests are our compass - when they approve, the product is ready to launch."

DELPHINE CHATELIN
Vice President of Research, Innovation, and Development of Group Bel

OUR STRATEGIC INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS

Our ambition for food transition is fueled by an ecosystem of powerful alliances. By combining the agility of startups, academic expertise, and technological advancements, we amplify our capacity for innovation.

With disruptive startups

  • Standing Ovation: caseins through precision fermentation - non-animal dairy proteins, reduced environmental footprint
  • Superbrewed: biomass proteins through fermentation - complete nutritional profile, versatile applications

With public institutions

  • Ferments of the Future: INRAE-ANIA program - €48.3M over 10 years to revolutionize food fermentation
  • Leading universities: INRAE, CNRS, Wageningen (NL), McGill (CA), Wisconsin (US) - collaborative scientific acceleration

For digital transformation

  • Dassault Systèmes: full digitalization of the value chain - digital twins and AI for food innovation

RESEARCH, INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT

THE VENDÔME GLOBAL R&D CENTER AT THE FOREFRONT OF FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSITIONS

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