Cheese Snack Maker Breaks Ground on $200 Million Expansion

Bel Group is expanding its Mini Babybel production footprint in the U.S. with a $200 million investment to enlarge its manufacturing facility in Brookings, S.D. The project is expected to double production capacity at the plant and significantly increase regional dairy sourcing.

The expansion will increase annual output of Babybel cheese snacks from about 10,000 metric tons to 20,000 metric tons, one of the largest manufacturing investments the company has made in the U.S.

Company officials say the additional capacity will support growing U.S. demand for portion-controlled dairy snacks while strengthening the company’s domestic production network.

Capacity and throughput increases

The Brookings expansion means:

• Doubling finished-product capacity to 20,000 tons annually
• Higher daily milk intake as the facility scales production
• Expanded processing and packaging throughput to support additional SKUs and product innovation
• Approximately 150 new jobs tied to increased manufacturing operations

The increased processing volume will also double milk sourcing from regional dairy farms, primarily in South Dakota and neighboring states, strengthening the plant’s upstream supply chain.

Bel GroupStrategic role of the U.S. production network

The investment reflects the growing importance of the U.S. to Bel’s global business. The U.S. currently accounts for about one-third of the company’s global sales, generating more than $1.2 billion in annual retail revenue, and the company expects the market to drive more than half of its future growth.

Executives say the expanded Brookings operation will help support that growth while improving operational efficiency and enabling new product development within the Babybel portfolio.

Part of a broader U.S. expansion strategy

The Brookings project follows other recent manufacturing investments by Bel in the U.S., including a $10 million expansion at its facility in Little Chute that added jobs and increased domestic production capacity.

Together, the projects signal a broader push by Bel to expand its North American manufacturing footprint and scale production of snack-size dairy products to meet rising consumer demand.