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French dairy group Bel has revealed it will be discontinuing its plant-based cheese brand Nurishh by the end of this year.

Nurishh was introduced to Bel’s portfolio in 2020 – a year that saw soaring demand for plant-based alternatives and a surge in innovations hitting the market – as part of Bel’s acquisition of All In Foods.

The dairy-free cheese range was developed in Saint-Nazaire, France, and has since expanded with availability in 14 countries across Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Despite a broad portfolio of innovations across grated, sliced, spreadable and block formats, and a number of investments made with All In Foods, a spokesperson for Bel Group confirmed to The Plant Base that Nurishh will be discontinued by the end of 2025 as the brand has not been able to establish a profitable and sustainable business.

The spokesperson commented: “Today, Nurishh represents 1% of the plant-based market in retail. Our main competitor has captured 22% of it. By arriving second in the market, we have not succeeded in differentiating ourselves enough to secure our clients listing and attract new consumers.”

The spokesperson affirmed that while the Nurishh brand will be removed from shelves, plant-based still remains “a key pillar” of Bel’s strategy. The company is focusing its resources on its core brands, which include Babybel, The Laughing Cow and Boursin.

A new innovation roadmap for Bel includes the launch of a new plant-based Boursin in France and Europe, additional flavours of its Babybel plant-based product, and supporting the development of plant-based The Laughing Cow products in North America.

Bel recently debuted a new version of its plant-based Boursin Garlic & Herbs cheese in the UK, now available to consumers in the same traditional foil puck format as its dairy counterpart.

The company has also teamed up with Avril, Lallemand and Protial on a three-year R&D initiative – backed by a €9 million investment – to advance vegan cheese innovation with a focus on taste, nutrition and sustainability.

Top image: © Bel Group