INNOVATION, RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT

VENDÔME: THE HEART OF BEL'S FOOD INNOVATION

A GLOBAL HUB, A CONVERGENCE OF EXPERTISE

For over 30 years, our global Research, Innovation, and Development (RID) center in Vendôme has excelled in merging Bel’s historical expertise with the exploration of new frontiers. In collaboration with startups, universities, and researchers worldwide, our teams are developing the future of cheese, plant-based, and fruit products. The goal is to ensure food safety while enhancing product quality and formulation, all while balancing pleasure, nutrition, and sustainability. Our research also includes alternative proteins from fermentation and the development of sustainable packaging for planet-friendly products. We are pioneering new alternative ingredients, like proteins and fats derived from fermentation, while engineering sustainable packaging for our planet. We're also unlocking the full potential of fermentation to boost nutritional value, simplify recipes, and streamline processes—all to tackle the key challenges of building better health through nutrition.

At the core of this mission are nearly 80 collaborators with diverse expertise: biochemistry, physico-chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, material science, data and artificial intelligence, and dairy technologies, all working together to push the boundaries of food innovation.

30

years of expertise at the Bel Group's RID center in Vendôme

50,000

analyses conducted annually at the Vendôme laboratory

80

experts within the RID center in Vendôme, 220 people in RID across the Group

AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

We collaborate with an international network of R&D hubs, pilot plants, and prototyping laboratories. Located in France, Canada, the United States, China, Portugal, Vietnam, and Japan, these sites contribute to creating innovative solutions tailored to the local needs of our consumers.

Bel teams also collaborate with leading institutes and academic partners, including INRAE (National Institute for Agricultural Research and the Environment), CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research), Wageningen University and the University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), McGill University and Laval University in Quebec (Canada), and the University of Wisconsin (United States).
We thrive within an expert ecosystem, actively participating in leading innovation hubs and industry associations like Bioeconomy for Change (France), Vitagora (France), the Carnot Institute Qualiment (France), Next Food Collective (the Netherlands), CNIEL (France), RITA (Canada), and Ferments du Futur.

DIVERSE EXPERTISES SERVING FOOD INNOVATION

Our Vendôme center of excellence fully embodies our forward-looking vision and unwavering commitment to transforming our products and processes. Here we gather nearly 80 experts with complementary skills—microbiology, biochemistry, physico-chemistry, molecular biology, material science, data science, and dairy technologies—who combine their expertise daily to redefine the standards of food innovation.

Together, we meet the dual challenge of developing products that are more respectful of our planet while strengthening the special bond between our brands and consumers. Our mission? To offer foods that are both healthy, delicious, and accessible to all, reflecting our commitment to sustainable and responsible eating.

Discover our innovation strategy

"At our Vendôme site, we unite science with technology and research with innovation. This approach lets us embed game-changing innovations into our products for consumers, backing our commitment to environmental sustainability and the key societal issues in food."

ANNE PITKOWSKI
Director of Research & Applications of Bel Group

RESEARCH, INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT

THE VENDÔME GLOBAL RID CENTER AT THE FOREFRONT OF FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSITIONS

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