Britannia Bel Foods, the joint venture between India’s Britannia Industries and French cheese maker Bel Group, has officially launched its cheese manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra. Built with an investment of approximately $26.1 million (Rs. 2.2bn), the factory is set to produce around 16,000 tons of cheese annually.
The state-of-the-art plant features five production lines dedicated to both natural and processed cheese. It has a capacity of 6,000 tons per year for natural varieties like cheddar and mozzarella, alongside a larger capacity of 10,000 tons for processed cheese. The facility will primarily concentrate on manufacturing The Laughing Cow cheese products, marketed locally under the “Britannia The Laughing Cow” brand.
Abhishek Sinha, CEO of Britannia Bel Foods, remarked on the launch: “This cutting-edge facility combines Bel Foods’ global expertise with Britannia’s manufacturing prowess. We are committed to offering Indian consumers an unparalleled cheese experience, reflecting their evolving tastes.”
The facility’s inauguration comes nearly two years after the formation of Britannia Bel Foods, following Bel’s acquisition of a 49% stake in Britannia’s dairy arm for $32.1 million. This joint venture aims to further strengthen the cheese business in India with a fully integrated dairy program.