The new cheese factory is integrated within Britannia’s existing dairy production facility. Costing appro INR 220 Cr million, it marks a significant milestone nearly two years after the Britannia and Bel Group formed their partnership.
Two years after Britannia Industries signed a joint venture with Bel Group, the joint venture (JV) has inaugurated its cheese factory in India. This factory, which has seen an investment of ₹220 crore from the JV, will produce Britannia The Laughing Cow products.
The new Greenfield factory is integrated within Britannia’s existing dairy production facility. It currently produces 6,000 tons of natural cheese varieties like cheddar and mozzarella a year and 10,000 tons of processed cheese products a year, such as cheese slices, cubes, blocks, etc.
The cheese factory in Maharashtra state’s Ranjangaon, which cost approximately INR 220 Cr, marks a significant milestone nearly two years after the companies formed their partnership. The new factory is located within Britannia’s dairy food park in Ranjangaon, reported.
The plant will produce Britannia’s The Laughing Cow cheese products and rely on a local milk procurement system. Around 400,000 litres of cow’s milk are sourced daily from over 3,000 farmers in Pune and surrounding areas.
Equipped with five production lines, the facility boasts a total production capacity of approximately 6,000 tons per year for natural Cheese varieties like cheddar and mozzarella and around 10,000 tonnes per year for processed cheese.
Varun Berry, executive vice-chairman and managing director of Britannia Industries, said, “Britannia is deeply committed to the well-being and prosperity of the milk farming communities that are at the heart of our business. Supporting over 3,000 milk farmers, our integrated farmer support program focuses on empowering them through sustainable cattle management, breeding, and feeding practices. By harnessing our integrated milk procurement program, we are setting new benchmarks in quality and sustainability while empowering dairy farmers at the core of our supply chain.”
“The choice of Ranjangaon is a strategic one, as Maharashtra’s leadership in milk production aligns with our vision to create a hub for premium, locally sourced dairy products. We believe the new cheese facility will further strengthen Britannia and Bel Group’s strategic partnership and commitment to driving growth and innovation in the industry,” Berry added.
Cécile Béliot, CEO of Bel Group, said: “I am proud to celebrate with Britannia the start of a state-of-the-art cheese factory leveraging the Bel 160-year legacy of operation on cheese. It is also a great moment to celebrate the growth of the national distribution of our Britannia The Laughing Cow range of products and our triangular portion of processed cheese specifically developed and designed to please millions of children in India.”
“At Bel Group, we aim to contribute to healthier and more sustainable food, creating value alongside our ecosystem with accessible products answering local nutritional needs. I believe that Britannia and Bel, through this joint venture, and even more now with the opening of this factory, have the right know-how and market capabilities at hand to take a leading position with Britannia The Laughing Cow in India,” Béliot emphasised.
Abhishek Sinha, CEO of Britannia Bel Foods, said, “Britannia Bel Foods’s state-of-the-art Cheese facility brings the best of Bel Groups’ global expertise to India, combining cutting-edge technology with world-class manufacturing standards. This plant embodies our commitment to delivering premium, locally-made Cheese that meets the highest benchmarks in quality and innovation.”
This facility is believed to further solidify the relationship between Britannia and Bel and further strengthen our cheese business in India, supported by a fully integrated dairy program. With this, we are poised to offer Indian consumers an unmatched Cheese experience tailored to their evolving tastes.
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