The Bel group is no longer content with selling portioned cheese. For several years, it has been methodically building a leadership position on the US healthy snacks market. With the acquisition of Brainiac, it is reaching a new milestone: becoming a group that not only distributes healthy products, but also establishes itself in the functional foods segment for children, one of the most dynamic in the American food market.
Analysis by the experts at Auris Finance, advisors in mergers, acquisitions and financial engineering.
The Bel group, manufacturer of the iconic Babybel, GoGo squeeZ, Boursin and Laughing Cow brands, announced on 6 May 2026 the acquisition of the Brainiac and Little Brainiac brands, owned by Ingenuity Foods. The deal aims to strengthen its leadership and its commitment to portioned snacks made from fruit, vegetables and dairy for families across North America.
Ingenuity Foods will continue to operate under its current leadership, ensuring business continuity.
An acquisition driven by leadership momentum
The Bel group has been undertaking a deep transformation of its positioning in the United States for several years. The Paris-based group generates one third of its sales in the United States through its Babybel, GoGo squeeZ, Laughing Cow and Boursin brands, and has invested heavily to strengthen its presence in the country. In March 2026, the group broke ground on a 200 million dollar investment to double the production capacity of its Babybel cheese plant in Brookings, South Dakota, the largest US investment in the group’s history.
The United States has become the leading global market for Mini Babybel, accounting for around one third of volumes sold, or 20,000 tonnes a year, compared with 8,000 tonnes in France. The brand has been driving Bel‘s growth upwards since 2024, supported by a 12% rise in volumes in the country.
It is against this backdrop of acceleration that Peter McGuinness, appointed CEO of Bel North America in February 2026, quickly set out his first markers. Even before this deal was announced, he had indicated that he was looking “very seriously” at external growth opportunities to turn Bel into a leader in healthy snacking, describing his brand portfolio as “sleeping beauties” that the group had been too discreet in promoting.
Brainiac: a fast-growing brand in a high-potential segment
Founded in 2017, Brainiac designs children’s snacks focused on cognitive health. Its range includes pureed smoothies, fruit and vegetable pouches, fruit and oat pouches, and fruit snacks formulated with omega-3 fatty acids and choline, developed in partnership with paediatricians, neurologists and nutritionists.
Distributed in major retailers such as Walmart, Whole Foods and Target, Brainiac recorded triple-digit growth last year. This trajectory is no accident: it responds to a deep societal demand. Mental, emotional and behavioural disorders are estimated to affect one in five American children, at a cost of around 247 billion dollars a year in treatment according to CDC data. Two thirds of parents worry that their child will not reach their full potential, which creates a strong willingness to pay for products with proven cognitive benefits.
A booming healthy snacking market
The deal comes against a particularly favourable market backdrop. The global healthy snacks market was estimated at 74.39 billion dollars in 2024 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.81% through to 2032. In the United States, the trend is amplified by several converging dynamics. The rise of GLP-1 diets, new nutritional guidelines and consumers’ growing appetite for snacks made from natural ingredients position Bel to seize emerging opportunities and respond quickly to evolving needs.
Peter McGuinness, CEO of Bel North America, sums up the rationale: “This deal gives us more scale, more product choice and more reach in our portfolio, and is genuinely a 1+1=3 opportunity for us and for Ingenuity. By integrating the Brainiac brands into our family of brands, we are not simply adding products: we are opening a new era of growth, innovation and social impact.“
Mark Brooks, CEO and co-founder of Ingenuity Foods, confirms the alignment between the two parties: “We are delighted to join Bel and bring Brainiac to even more families, in even more places. Bel’s commitment to nutrition, innovation and purpose-driven brands is in perfect alignment with our vision.“
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