The new production site, which employs 120 people, will supply the Vietnamese market and supporting Bel's growth in Southeast Asia by producing The Laughing Cow closer to consumers.
The new site, which started production in June 2016, produces more than 3m single-serve portions of the Laughing Cow cheese – or Con Bò Cười in Vietnamese - each week.
The products not only go to local customers, but are also for the Cambodian, Philippine, Singaporean and Thai markets.
Plant model
The site was built according to Bel’s sustainable plant model, which blends productivity with preserving resources, said Hubert Mayet, general manager of manufacturing and technical operations, research and innovation at Bel.
He said an insulation system was installed to reduce energy consumption, as the company constantly looks to improving operating efficiency and meet environmental preservation targets.
Bel in Vietnam
Bel has its HQ in Ho Chi Minh City, where it has 60 employees. As well as The Laughing Cow, other brands in Vietnam include Belcube, Cheez Dippers, Mini Babybel, and Kiri.
Since 2013, Bel has operated a ‘Sharing Cities’ program, an inclusive distribution business model, by developing a network of more than 2,000 street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City.
In January 2017, the program was extended to Hanoi.
Bel has been present in Vietnam for more than 65 years, and has a sales subsidiary in Ho Chi Minh City, which opened in 2008, and a test-production site, which become operational in 2010.