Bel Group, a global player in dairy, fruit, and veggie snacking and the maker of iconic brands Babybel®, GoGo squeeZ®, Boursin®, and The Laughing Cow®, announces the acquisition of Ingenuity Foods’ brands: Brainiac® and Little Brainiac®.
This strategic move expands Bel’s portfolio and reinforces its leadership and commitment to the on-the- go, better-for-you, portion-sized snacks made from real fruit, veggies, and dairy for families across North America. With the added benefits of Omega-3s, Brainiac® snacks are a great fit for what Bel is all about.
The Brainiac® line, with value net sales growing triple digits in the last year, is known for its snacks for kids and families to support brain-building. This acquisition is complementary to Bel’s GoGo squeeZ® platform and further strengthens the company’s position in the fruit snack category with younger kids and a wide range of functional fruit and veggie snacks – smoothies, juice squeezers, fruit snacks, and baby/toddler foods. Brainiac® snacks are backed by nutritionists and doctors to support brain health and development and overall brain, gut, and immune health.
Beyond Brainiac® snacks offering great taste and functional nutrition, Bel and Ingenuity Foods have shared values – as evidenced by the fact they are a Certified B Corporation committed to the highest social and environmental standards.
“This move gives us more scale, product choices and breadth across our portfolio and truly is a 1 + 1 = 3 opportunity for us and Ingenuity”, said Peter McGuinness, CEO of Bel North America. “By bringing Brainiac® brands into our family of brands, we’re not just adding more products; we’re unlocking a new era of growth, innovation, and social impact. This acquisition gives us the opportunity to accelerate our momentum as the leader in portion-sized fruit, veggie, and dairy snacks that adults trust and kids love.”
Ingenuity Foods will continue to operate under its current leadership, ensuring business continuity. Mark Brooks, CEO and Co-Founder of Ingenuity Foods, commented, “We are excited to join forces with Bel and bring Brainiac® to even more families in more places. Bel’s dedication to nutrition, innovation, and purpose-driven brands is the perfect fit for our vision.” Jonathan Wolfson, Founder of Ingenuity Foods added, “Together, we will inspire and enable healthier choices and make a meaningful impact for kids and parents across the US.”
This acquisition signals Bel’s ongoing investment and expansion of US production, following the recent expansion of its plant in South Dakota. McGuinness has emphasized that “Bel’s robust innovation pipeline, combined with rapid growth and market trends like GLP-1 diets, new dietary guidelines, and consumers’ desire for snacks made with real ingredients, positions the company to capture emerging opportunities and respond swiftly to evolving consumer needs. The acquisition of Brainiac® brands not only complements Bel’s offerings but also accelerates the company’s mission to lead in functional snacking, highlighting Bel’s forward-looking strategy and commitment to making a lasting, purposeful impact on the U.S. better-for- you snacking segment”.
