The Laughing Cow

Infobox Cheese
name = La Vache qui Rit
"(The Laughing Cow)"


othernames =
country = France
(produced worldwide)
regiontown = Jura
region =
town =
source = Cows
pasteurised = Yes
texture = semi-soft
fat =
protein =
dimensions =
weight =
aging = made from aged cheeses,
but not aged itself
certification = trademarked brand name

The Laughing Cow is a brand of processed cheese products owned by Groupe Bel. Originally launched in France as "La vache qui rit" in 1921, the brand is now sold in more than 90 countries. According to the Groupe Bel web site, 125 portions of the cheese are eaten every second around the world.

The product

The cheese is a blend of cream, milk and fresh and aged cheeses, particularly comté, which are pasteurized to stop the ripening process. Versatile and portable because of its pasteurization process, Laughing Cow can remain unrefrigerated for a limited length of time. The archetypal Laughing Cow cheese comes wrapped in the individual serving-sized foiled wedges, and they are packaged in a round, flat box. Consumers have to pull a little red thread around the box to open it, and the foil packaging also features an easy-opening red tab. In various worldwide markets, it is served as squares, rectangles, slices, bite-sized cubes and in spreadable tubs. Because it is a smooth, sweet, buttery cheese, it is favored by children and eaten usually in France as a part of picnic.

Laughing Cow is available in its original flavor, a light version with only 7% fat, and an ultra-light version with just 3% fat (not available in the USA). In addition, flavored versions of the cheese (such as ham, gruyère, garlic, paprika, mushroom, chèvre, bleu, hazelnut, pizza and onion) are also available in various markets worldwide.

They also market snack cheeses wrapped in wax under the name Babybel.

Evolution of the brand

The laughing cow is red and jovial, and is almost always depicted wearing earrings that look like the round boxes the cheese comes in. On April 16 1921, Léon Bel trademarked his brand, called "La Vache qui rit," in France. In the trademark, the cow is said to have "a hilarious expression." Bel had made the original drawing himself, after having seen a traveling meat wagon during World War I called "La Wachkyrie," a play on the word for "Valkyrie". In the beginning she wasn't laughing, she wasn't red and she didn't wear earrings. This patent was the very first branded cheese product registered in France. In 1924, Benjamin Rabier, a famous illustrator, edited the drawing into more of the image that prevails today. The blue and white stripes around the box date from 1955. In 1976 both boxes in the ears are shown with the top-side visible. Before that year consumers were shown a top and bottom side.

Worldwide popularity

It has long been popular in the United Kingdom, where it is viewed as a healthy childrens' snack. The cheese has also been a constant, but hardly popular product in the United States for a number of years. However, demand for the triangular wedges has skyrocketed recently, since the light version of the product was suggested as a viable menu item to followers of the South Beach Diet.

The cheese is quite popular in the Middle East. Because no animal rennet or pepsin is used it is considered halaal by Muslim standards. Groupe Bel announced on October 2 2005 that they plan to open a 13 million euro factory in Syria. This was the first such direct investment in that nation by a French food company. [cite web | url=http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/ie-en/DisplayDocument.jsp?did=60298 | title=Bel cheese manufacturers open CAD 18.17 million factory in Syria | work=Business News (October/November 2005) - Syria | publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada) | month=November | year=2005 | accessdate=2007-12-09 | date=]

The product is localized by name nearly everywhere it's sold. Depending on where one is, it can be known as:

* "The Laughing Cow" in English-speaking countries
* "Die lachende Kuh" in German-speaking countries
* البقرة الضاحكة ("Al-Baqara Al-Dahika") in Arabic-speaking countries
* "Veselá kráva" in the Czech Republic
* "Krówka Śmieszka" in Poland
* "La vaca que ríe" in Spanish-speaking countries
* "A vaca que ri" in Brazil and Portugal
* "Con bò cười" in Vietnam
* "Весёлая Бурёнка" ("Vessiolaia Bourionka") in Russia
* "Den Skrattande Kon" in Sweden
* "Den leende ko" in Denmark
* "La Vache Qui rit" in the Netherlands
* "Η Αγελάδα που Γελά" ("I Agelada pou Yela") in Greece and Cyprus
* "Lavaş Kiri" in Turkey
* "La Vache Qui Rit" in Canada (due to the fact that Canada is bilingual)
* "Vaca care râde" in Romania

among other names.

Other associations

* "Le Vache qui Rit" is the name of a 1982 EP by UK Anarchist Punk band Zounds.

*"La Vache qui Rit" is the name of an EP by late 80's Washington DC punk band Rain with connection to Dischord Records.

* La vache qui lit ("The reading cow") is the children's book prize of the city of Zürich.

* Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is often jokingly referred to as 'La Vache qui Rit' because of his supposed resemblance to the cheese's logo. [ [http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_24279.shtml Mohamed Hasseinein Heikel: The wise man of the Middle East By Robert Fisk Apr 9, 2007, 05:58] ]

* "La Vache Qui Rit" is the name of a finishing move in the video game Primal Rage. The character Vertigo will move up to an opponent and transform them into a cow, which makes a disconcerted "moo" as it runs away.

References

External links

* [http://www.bel-uk.co.uk/ourCheeses/laughingCow.php The Laughing Cow] at The Bel Group's web site
* [http://www.lavachequirit.com La Vache qui rit] official site (in french)