The Bel Group plans to package all its Babybel cheese snacks in responsibly sourced paper by 2027, aligning with its target to achieve 100% recyclable or home-compostable packaging by 2030.
While the cellophane wrapper used for Babybel products has reportedly been biobased and home-compostable since late 2020, the Bel Group has undertaken factory trials and real-world validation to develop its paper packaging in line with industrial performance requirements for large-scale production across its global facilities.
Underlining the importance of packaging in maintaining microbiological safety and product quality in various temperature conditions, the Group emphasizes that its Babybel products will still feature their ‘iconic’ red wax shell.
“Transitioning to paper packaging represents a significant technical and industrial challenge, the outcome of several years of research and development,” the company explains. “This shift goes far beyond changing materials; it is a structural transformation.”
The commercial rollout of paper Babybel wrappers has begun in the United Kingdom, with Northern Europe, the United States, and Canada set to follow next year. The Bel Group plans to expand the new packaging into all fifty of its global markets in 2027.
By that point, it anticipates that 100% of Mini Babybel products will utilize certified paper in pursuit of sustainable forest management and complete traceability.
With two billion portions of Babybel products thought to be consumed annually, the Bel Group hopes that introducing paper packaging will cut down on plastic packaging at its source and prioritize the transition into renewable, recyclable materials.
“Transitioning Babybel to paper packaging is a true technical and industrial challenge,” said Delphine Chatelin, director of RID at the Bel Group. “It is not simply about replacing one material with another; it requires rethinking the entire protection system to ensure product quality and safety from production to consumption.
“Our objective is to offer consumers the same iconic and enjoyable experience while meeting their expectations for sustainability and convenience, with packaging that is environmentally responsible and perfectly adapted to the product’s lifecycle.”
“With more than two billion portions sold every year worldwide, this evolution has a concrete global impact,” continues Linda Neu, global director for Babybel. “Moving to recyclable paper packaging is a decisive milestone in Babybel’s sustainable transformation. It reflects our commitment to innovate without compromising on quality or food safety, while accelerating the reduction of our environmental footprint.”
“Transforming our production and consumption models is one of the greatest challenges of our time,” added Béatrice de Noray, executive vice president in charge of Growth at the Bel Group. “At Bel, we choose to put innovation at the service of more responsible and accessible food for all.
“This ambition sits at the heart of our growth strategy and guides the evolution of our brands, our industrial processes, and our packaging. Babybel has been part of families’ lives for more than 70 years. Its uniqueness lies in both its universal appeal and its ability to evolve with changing uses, food cultures, and societal expectations.
“Today, its packaging enters a new chapter, one that strengthens what makes Babybel iconic: a practical, convivial, and instantly recognizable portion. By advancing its packaging, we are taking a structural step in our journey, embodying the combination of responsibility and performance that defines Bel’s DNA.”
In a similar development, Fromagerie Milleret previously packed two of its premium cheeses in recycle-ready paper from Amcor. This was said to ensure control over moisture levels within the product while achieving compatibility with existing paper recycling streams.
Since then, Orkla Suomi has piloted a high-barrier paper wrapper from UPM Specialty Papers for its Panda Milk Chocolate brand; the innovation was subsequently nominated for a Sustainability Award in this year’s lineup. Orkla Suomi hopes that the new packaging will increase the share of renewable content in its packaging portfolio while maintaining recyclability.
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