Belourthe

What Belourthe does

Belourthe is a privately held Belgian food manufacturing group operating through three family-owned entities — Belourthe S.A. (Belgium), Ninolac International (Luxembourg), and Nutriceal (Portugal, acquired 2023). Founded in 2006 when management acquired the historic Nestlé baby food plant in Hamoir (originally established 1963), the company has grown into a specialist contract manufacturer and private label producer of baby cereals, infant milk formulas, and cereal-based nutritional supplements, producing 40,000+ tons per year for 100+ clients across 80+ countries under 60+ private label brands.

The company's product portfolio spans four pillars: (1) baby nutrition — baby cereals, infant formulas, and adult cereal supplements under the Ninolac and Fortilac brands plus private label programs, leveraging 200+ milk and cereal recipes; (2) food ingredients — pre-gelatinized binders and hydrolyzed flours (wheat, rice, oat) sold as clean-label inputs to other food manufacturers; (3) sports and health nutrition — custom-formulated protein, collagen, and pre/post-workout powders; and (4) frozen products — Chimay crepes, Chimay croquettes, and OUFTI! chocolate-dipped fruit snacks. Manufacturing is anchored at the Hamoir facility with nine dryers (four single-cylinder, five twin-cylinder) and a dedicated gluten-free line, with a stated maximum dryer capacity of 20,000 tons per year; processes include enzymatic hydrolysis for natural sweetness, wet mixing with mineral enrichment, multi-cylinder drying, and tailored dry blending.

Belourthe operates a B2B contract manufacturing model, generating revenue primarily through private label partnerships with supermarket chains, big brands, baby food distributors, dairy groups, and pharmaceutical groups globally. Pricing is quote-based and tied to formulation, packaging, and volume requirements rather than publicly disclosed. The company holds ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, and Halal certifications, sources leads through international trade shows (Gulfood, SIAL, PLMA, FI Europe, Pharmagora, Lisbon Food Affair), and reports no external funding rounds — growth has been financed through operational cash flow and the 2023 Nutriceal acquisition. Leadership is family-controlled under CEO Vincent Crahay, with the Luxembourg arm (Ninolac) functioning as the group's purchasing and export center.

Name

Belourthe

Legal name

Belourthe S.A.

Website

https://belourthe.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Belourthe is a Belgian B2B food manufacturer producing 40,000+ tons annually of private label baby cereals, infant milk formulas, cereal supplements, and hydrolyzed flour ingredients for 100+ clients across 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infant Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing (31123)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Protein & Energy-Dense Pediatric Dairy Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAHAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dried & Dehydrated Foods Manufacturing (AFAKACAK), Dairy Ingredients (Whey, Lactose, Milk Powders) Wholesale (AFAIAEAG), Baby Nutrition for Special Diets (Gluten-Free, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Controlled) (CRADAEAO), Baking Ingredients & Mixes Wholesale (Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Improvers) (AFAIAFAD)

Keywords

• Private label manufacturing
• Baby cereal production
• Infant formula manufacturing
• Food ingredients supply
• Cereal supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamoir

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing baby cereals, infant formulas, and cereal supplements under client brands. Currently manufactures more than 60 private brands for clients in 80+ countries including supermarket chains, big brands, distributors, dairy groups, and pharmaceutical groups.
2. Baby Cereals Production: Production of baby cereals including Ninolac brand cereals with 50+ years of experience in cereal production.
3. Infant Formula Production: Production of infant milk formulas enriched with essential milk proteins, calcium, and vitamin D for optimal bone structure and development.
4. Cereal Supplements: Range of cereal supplements for adults including products for diabetics, breastfeeding women, and seniors.
5. Nutritional Powders: Sport and health nutrition powders including proteins, pre/post-workout supplements, collagen-based drinks, and solutions for seniors.
6. Frozen Products: Frozen products including Chimay crepes, Oufti! chocolate-dipped fruits, and Chimay croquettes.
7. Ingredients (Binders and Hydrolyzed Flours): Pre-gelatinized flours and hydrolyzed flours sold as ingredients to other food manufacturers for baby foods, dairy products, breakfast cereals, and baked goods.
8. Bulk Cereals: Semi-finished or ready-to-be-packed products for local production on customer markets, with technical support for packing machine acquisition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Belourthe manufactures and supplies baby cereals, infant milk formulas, cereal supplements, and food ingredients (binders and hydrolyzed flours) primarily under private label arrangements for supermarket chains, big brands, baby food distributors, dairy groups, and pharmaceutical companies across 80+ countries. The company also produces branded products (Ninolac, Fortilac, Chimay, Oufti!) and sports nutrition powders, leveraging 50+ years of cereal production expertise and a multi-dryer production capacity of up to 20,000 tons per year.

Product overview

Belourthe is a multi-category food manufacturing group comprising three family companies: Belourthe (Belgium — baby cereals and infant formulas), Nutriceal (Portugal — baby cereals, acquired 2023), and Ninolac (Luxembourg — purchasing and export). Its portfolio spans four distinct product pillars: (1) Baby Nutrition — under brands Ninolac and Fortilac plus private label programs, covering baby cereals, infant milk formulas, and cereal supplements across 200+ recipes; (2) Food Ingredients — binders and hydrolyzed flours (wheat, rice, oat) serving food manufacturers as clean-label substitutes; (3) Frozen Products — Chimay Selection creps, croquettes, and Oufti! chocolate-dipped fruit snacks; and (4) Sports Nutrition — custom nutritional powders (protein, collagen, pre/post-workout) under the Belourthe brand. Belourthe operates as both a branded and private-label manufacturer, producing over 60 private label brands for clients in 80+ export countries, with a production capacity of 40,000+ tons per year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ninolac: Baby cereals brand under the Belourthe Group, with products including cereals with milk, without milk, without added sugar, flakes, and organic options.
• Fortilac
• Chimay Sélection
• Oufti!
• Chimay Croquettes

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 80+ exporting countries
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Nutriceal (Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelourthe acquired Nutriceal, a Portuguese producer of baby cereals, as the company's first acquisition. This strategic move expanded Belourthe's manufacturing footprint and product capabilities into Portugal, strengthening their position as an independent player in the infant food industry.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Reckitt Benckiser (Mead Johnson): Owner of Enfamil and other leading infant formula brands (Mead Johnson); a global incumbent shaping pricing, distribution, and private-label dynamics in baby nutrition.
• Perrigo Company: US-listed leader in store-brand and OTC consumer healthcare with a sizable private-label infant formula and baby food business; comparable as a contract/private-label platform serving global retail customers.
• Hero Group: Swiss family-owned food company with a large baby-food division (Hero Baby, Beech-Nut) and significant private-label/contract manufacturing in infant nutrition across Europe — directly comparable as a multi-country independent baby-food producer.
• Lactalis Group: World's largest dairy group with growing presence in infant nutrition (Celia, Picot) and significant private-label/ingredient dairy capabilities; a customer and competitor for infant formula manufacturing.
• Abbott Nutrition: Major US infant formula manufacturer (Similac) and paediatric nutrition player; a global incumbent that competes with and procures from independent infant nutrition producers.
• Nestlé S.A. (Infant Nutrition): World's largest infant nutrition producer (NAN, Gerber, Nido) and the original operator of the Hamoir plant; the dominant buyer/competitor in baby cereals and infant formula globally.
• Danone Nutricia: Specialised Nutrition division of Danone covering infant formula (Aptamil, Nutrilon) and baby food; a major customer/competitor for private-label and branded infant nutrition across Europe.

Emerging players

• Bobbie Baby: US-based organic infant formula start-up that increasingly relies on contract manufacturing; an emerging adjacent peer that signals growth in the US private-label/formula-by-contract model.

Regional players

• Synutra International: China-based infant formula and nutrition company; a regional player exporting to similar emerging markets and competing for international infant nutrition contracts.

Direct peers

• HiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KG: German family-owned baby food manufacturer with a leading position in organic infant cereals, jars, and formulas; comparable as a European independent baby-cereal specialist with similar private-label and branded exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/belourthe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belourthe-sa

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Belourthe