Britannia and Bel Group Enhance Partnership with New Cheese Manufacturing Plant in Maharashtra.

Britannia Bel Foods, a prominent player in India’s cheese market, has officially inaugurated a new cheese factory in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra, marking a significant milestone in its growth journey. This facility will produce "Britannia The Laughing Cow" cheese products, further strengthening the joint venture between Britannia and France’s Bel Group, which commenced nearly two years ago. The plant represents an investment of approximately ₹220 crore and aims to produce 10,000 tons of high-quality cheese annually to cater to the growing demand from Indian consumers.

The Ranjangaon factory is fully integrated with Britannia’s extensive milk procurement program, sourcing 400,000 liters of cow's milk daily from over 3,000 farmers in Pune and surrounding regions. This initiative includes 70 Village-Level Bulk Milk Coolers spread across 10 tehsils, ensuring a sustainable supply chain and promoting local agricultural development. The milk collected undergoes rigorous quality testing, with 31 quality parameters evaluated on-site and an additional 20 tests conducted before acceptance at the factory.

Equipped with advanced technology, the new facility will manufacture a diverse range of cheese products, including cheddar, mozzarella, and processed cheese. The plant boasts five production lines with an annual production capacity of 6,000 tons of natural cheese and 10,000 tons of processed cheese. State-of-the-art equipment, such as pasteurizers and bactofuges, ensures the highest standards of food safety and quality.

At the launch, Varun Berry, Executive Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Britannia Industries, stated, “The choice of Ranjangaon is strategic, 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 the Britannia and Bel Group’s strategic partnership and commitment to driving growth and innovation in the industry.”

Cécile Béliot, CEO of Bel Group, added, “At Bel Group, we aim to contribute to healthier and more sustainable food, creating value alongside our ecosystem with accessible products that meet local nutritional needs. I believe that Britannia and Bel, through this joint venture and now with the opening of this factory, have the right know-how and market capabilities to take a leading position with Britannia The Laughing Cow in India.”

Abhishek Sinha, CEO of Britannia Bel Foods Private Ltd., emphasized, “Britannia Bel Foods’s state-of-the-art cheese facility brings the best of Bel Group’s global expertise to India, combining cutting-edge technology with world-class manufacturing standards.”

HBL