Bel Group has partnered with agro-industrial group Avril, probiotic manufacturer Lallemand, and agri-food service provider Protial for a three-year project that aims to drive forward the development of fermented and aged plant-based cheese alternatives.
The €9 million Cocagne Project will focus on developing minimally processed, nutritious, and environmentally friendly plant-based products that deliver on taste. Through the use of advanced fermentation and aging processes, Bel hopes to significantly improve on the taste and texture of existing plant-based cheeses, meeting consumer demand for healthier and tastier products. The initiative has received support from Bpifrance under the France 2030 program.
The Cocagne Project will take place at Bel’s global RID center in Vendôme, France, which the company has announced will be expanded with the help of a €7.5 million investment. The center is home to a team of 80 experts who work on three key pillars — product innovation, sustainable packaging, and plant-based alternatives. The investment comes as the Vendôme site celebrates 30 years as an innovation hub.
“Responsible innovation”
As part of its RID efforts, Bel has previously formed strategic partnerships with a variety of universities, organizations, and startups, including Polytechnique Montreal, Wageningen University, INRAE, Standing Ovation, and Superbrewed. Last year, the company partnered with Climax Foods to develop a new generation of plant-based cheeses using data science and artificial intelligence.
The Cocagne Project is part of Bel’s goal to make its portfolio 50% plant-based by 2030 in order to reduce its carbon footprint. The company announced in 2020 that it planned to launch a plant-based version of each of its core brands, and has since introduced dairy-free Babybel and The Laughing Cow products. Bel also recently launched an improved version of its plant-based Boursin in the UK.
“In a time when the agri-food industry faces urgent challenges around resource preservation and planetary limits, Bel is committed to offering more sustainable food without compromising on nutrition or taste,” said Cécile Béliot, CEO of Bel. “Innovation is essential to the future of food. That’s why Bel is investing €7.5 million today to expand the Vendôme global site, accelerating the development of new products to keep the group at the forefront of responsible innovation.”
