There are several different types of cheeses and brands of cheese, and each brings its own particularities to the food.
Babybel Cheese is a brand that sells several different types of cheese.
Since it tends to hang out next to cheaper cheeses at the store, its slightly higher price may put you off at first.
Buying a set of 30 pieces of Babybel Cheese on Amazon will set you back almost $30.
Considering the high price, you may wonder what makes Babybel Cheese expensive.
Here are 10 reasons Babybel Cheese is expensive.
Why Is Babybel Cheese So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
1. History
Mini Babybel Original Cheese, 0.75 Ounce - 30 Per Pack
One of the reasons Babybel Cheeses are expensive is their rich history.
The company got its start making cheese in France.
Since France has a reputation for making high-quality cheeses to pair with their exquisite wines, their cheese immediately carries that reputation with it.
The company eventually came to the United States in the 1950s where it started to produce its Babybel Cheese slices.
It was in 1977 that the mini version of the cheese became available and started selling well.
The cheese marketed itself as an upscale cheese snack.
It used a unique design and relied on its roots in France to do most of the selling for it.
Today, that still holds true.
Because of its roots in France, Babybel Cheese comes off as being a high-quality cheese.
While it’s about the same quality as the other cheaper cheeses it’s next to, it’s the history behind the brand that helps it set itself at a higher price point.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because it has a history based in France which has a reputation for selling high-quality cheese.
2. Wax Rind
Another reason that Babybel Cheese is expensive is its wax rind.
Unlike other types of cheese which only use plastic packaging to keep their cheeses preserved, Babybel does something different.
The exterior of each hunk of cheese does use the standard plastic packaging one might expect.
Beneath the plastic packaging, however, is a unique wax rind.
Babybel makes its wax rinds by mixing paraffin and microcrystalline waxes together.
They then add some coloring to give it that deep red hue.
This makes the wax edible, though they don’t suggest eating it.
However, if you can’t remove part of the wax from the rest of the cheese, then it is safe to consume.
This makes the cheese more expensive because this type of wax isn’t cheap to make.
It requires the ingredients and an additional processing step to make.
Whereas other companies save money by just putting their cheese in plastic packaging, Babybel takes an extra step.
This extra step makes the experience of eating Babybel Cheese a little more special.
The rind itself makes the cheese feel and look more sophisticated and expensive.
Since the company takes on an additional cost by processing their cheese in this way, they need to generate a bit more profit to cover that cost.
That’s why the price is a little higher on Babybel Cheese than it is on other similar brands.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because of its wax rind.
3. Lactose-Free
Babybel Cheese Semisoft Mini Original 28 Ct-21 Oz
One of the reasons that Babybel Cheese is popular is that it’s lactose-free.
That’s also why it’s a bit more expensive.
Babybel uses a complex fermenting system that removes lactose from its cheese while it forms the cheese.
The result is a piece of cheese without any lactose in it.
This appeals to people who are lactose intolerant or those who are looking to cut down on the amount of lactose that they consume.
However, since it’s lactose-free, it also means that it carries with it a higher price as it’s considered healthier.
Anything that’s considered healthy or trending with healthy lifestyle patterns tends to have a higher price.
That’s because people who are looking to live healthier lifestyles are willing to pay more.
There’s almost an expectation that if something is healthy, then it also comes with a higher price.
Babybel Cheese isn’t an exception.
Not all cheese brands take the time to use a fermentation process that removes the lactose either.
They leave it in, which can cause distress for those who suffer from lactose intolerance.
It’s cheaper for them to do so.
Babybel takes on a bit more cost to make their cheese lactose-free which allows them to appeal to a larger audience.
Because of the slight addition to their production costs, they need to make sure their profits are still high enough to cover those costs.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because it’s lactose-free.
4. High-Quality Milk
Babybel understands that, if it wants to compete in a competitive cheese market, it needs great milk.
Customers can tell the difference between good milk and bad milk when it comes to cheese.
To ensure they’re able to give their customers the best possible cheese, Babybel spends a lot of money investing in certain cow farms.
When partnering with a farm, they carefully inspect the conditions of the farm and dairy cows.
If the farms don’t invest in themselves or their animals, then it usually means that the milk coming from those farms isn’t great.
The cows may not be healthy enough to give a decent amount, and the amount they do give may not contain that many nutrients.
The taste may even be off if they’re ill.
To avoid this, Babybel takes its selection of farms seriously.
They take the time to understand how the farm operates, how much they care for their animals, and the steps they take when a cow is sick.
Babybel also understands that as customers become more interested in supporting companies that also support sustainable sourcing, they need to support sustainable farmers.
All these details usually add up in costs.
Farmers and ranchers spend a lot of money to ensure their cows are healthy and able to give high-quality milk.
That means the milk they sell also comes at a higher price to offset those costs.
Babybel then buys the milk and uses it to make their cheese.
To offset the costs they took on by buying the best milk, they need to sell the cheese at a higher price.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because they invest in high-quality milk which is more expensive to source.
5. Production Costs
One of the biggest reasons behind any expensive product is the cost of production.
If it takes a lot of money to produce something, then you can expect it cost a lot to buy.
Babybel Cheese has a few steps in its production line that drives up its costs.
The first is the milk from cows.
Once the milk arrives at their factory, it’s then fermented.
This process can take some time since curd requires time to form.
While a few things can help speed up the process, it’s ultimately a waiting game.
That’s also why some of the best cheeses ferment for a long time.
Once the curd is ready, the factory pushes it into custom-made molds.
These molds give the characteristic circular shape to the cheese.
Afterward, the little round cheeses go through a brine.
This is a bath of salted water which helps preserve the cheese and give it a unique flavor.
After its bath, they coat the cheese in its famous red wax.
The final step is to wrap the cheese in plastic packaging and send it off.
Clearly, there are a few steps in the production line.
While many of these processes use machines, there are certain quality checks that human workers must perform.
Because of this, the company has to pay wages on top of buying materials and performing maintenance on their machines.
These costs add up which determines the final price of their cheese.
Babybel cheese is expensive because of the various production costs it takes to make its goods.
6. Organic Milk
Although the bulk of Babybel Cheese comes from non-organic milk, they do sell cheese slices that come from organic milk.
These cheese bites are more expensive than their original cheese bites because of the use of organic milk.
Organic milk is more expensive than standard milk because there are a few more costs associated with it.
When something is organic, then it means there aren’t any preservatives, growth hormones, or antibiotics in the product.
The cows that give organic milk are simply fed on grass and given a holistic diet.
Organic usually means clean.
This is ideal for some people who have a concern over the presence of hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives in the animal products that they consume.
Pesticides are another chemical that can sometimes be present in milk and other animal products.
That’s because farmers will spray their food with pesticides to keep pests from eating them.
The cow then eats the food which means the pesticide enters their system.
It ends up in their milk which people then consume.
Since organic farms don’t use pesticides but other solutions to combat pests, they don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals contaminating their animals.
As a result, those drinking the milk or eating cheese from their milk also aren’t consuming pesticides.
Unfortunately, it costs a farm a bit more money to invest in itself and protect its cows without relying on chemicals.
Those costs then make buying organic milk more expensive.
Since it’s more expensive to buy, Babybel Cheese has to make their organic cheeses more expensive, too.
Babybel Cheese is expensive when it comes to their organic cheese because the production costs are higher.
7. Sustainable Practices
Babybel puts a lot of effort into making every aspect of their business sustainable.
That extends from the farmers that they work with to the practices that they use in their factories.
They rely on experts to help them develop new ways of being sustainable.
As is often the case with sustainable business practices, they end up being more expensive.
That’s because there’s a lot of responsibility in handling the business’s waste and sourcing.
Their factories also use a lot of energy to produce their cheese.
By practicing sustainability, they help make the environment a better and healthier place.
They also appeal to their customers who are growing more interested in sustainable brands.
Since sustainable practices tend to add more costs to production, they have to offset those costs to generate a profit and keep their doors open.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because it practices sustainability which often leads to higher production costs.
8. Different Cheeses
Mini Babybel White Cheddar Cheese, 0.7 Ounce -- 30 per case.
Another reason that Babybel Cheese is expensive is that it makes several different types of cheese.
Depending on the recipe, cheese might be cheddar, mozzarella, or any other type of cheese.
Each cheese type has a different flavor, color, texture, and consistency.
Babybel Cheese makes a few different types to appeal to a wider audience.
Some might like one type of cheese over another, for example.
The problem with having several different types of cheese is that you end up using more resources.
You take on more costs to produce different products.
If Babybel Cheese only produced one type of cheese, then it would be less expensive.
They could devote their investments and focus on a single product.
Instead, they have several different products.
This means they have to split more resources among them.
To ensure everything gets enough resources, they have to place higher prices on them.
Their process is a little less streamlined by balancing several different products.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because they need to distribute their resources among several different product lines.
9. Healthy Snack
Babybel Cheese is a healthy snack.
It contains tons of calcium and protein.
When included with other vegetables, fruits, or grains, you or your children can enjoy a healthy snack with tons of nutrients.
Because it doesn’t contain filler ingredients like many other snacks, it’s a bit cleaner than other snacks, too.
This makes it appealing to families who are looking for healthy and safe snacks for their children.
Any snack that’s labeled or marketed as “clean” or “healthy” tends to have a higher price.
For one, because people expect healthier goods to be more expensive.
If it’s cheap, then they might doubt its authenticity or quality.
Anything that’s labeled healthy also just automatically sells for a higher price.
Babybel Cheese is expensive because it’s marketed as a healthy snack that tends to sell higher than non-healthy snacks.
10. Shortages
Global supply chain shortages don’t just affect electronics or gas prices.
They also affect food.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chains have experienced several setbacks.
These setbacks have made the supply of certain goods limited.
With demand returning to what it was before the pandemic, it’s sent prices soaring.
This has impacted Babybel Cheese as well.
With not enough workers tending the farms, there wasn’t a lot of milk on the market.
Without milk, Babybel Cheese can’t make their snacks.
The milk they can get their hands on is higher in price since there’s a limited supply of it and a lot of demand for it.
This results in higher prices on their products because they have to cover their costs.
Whenever there’s a shortage that affects the milk supply, you can expect Babybel Cheese prices to increase.
How To Save Money On Babybel Cheese
Although Babybel Cheese is cheaper than high-quality brands of cheese, it’s still more expensive than mid-grade cheeses.
Because of this, you might want to enjoy the snack at a lower price.
Here are a few ways you can save money on Babybel Cheese.
1. Shop Discounts
Depending on your store of choice, you can sometimes find the cheese featured as part of a store sale.
Stores regularly run discounts on certain departments to help reduce their inventory.
If they put a store discount on the cheese department, then you might find that Babybel Cheese is among the products listed at a lower price.
It’s a great time to stock up in bulk.
2. Coupons
You can also sometimes find coupons specifically for Babybel Cheese.
Sometimes they’re from the store, and other times, you can find them online.
The coupons can help shave some off the price to make the snack even cheaper.
3. Bulk Purchases
The best way to get your money’s worth is to buy in bulk.
When you buy a product in bulk, you end up paying a high price initially, but the store usually ends up giving you a discount.
Babybel Cheese can last some time in the refrigerator, so you can buy in bulk without worrying about it spoiling.
Not only will you pay less per item, but you also save money by making your Babybel Cheese last longer over time.
Can You Eat The Wax On Babybel Cheese?
Since Babybel Cheese is a snack marketed for children, some parents may have concerns over the red wax that covers the cheese.
All it takes is a few minutes for a child to unwrap the cheese and start eating it—wax and all.
The good news is that Babybel Cheese is aware that their red wax can sometimes look tasty to children.
The ingredients they use to make it are safe for ingestion.
That said, it likely won’t taste all that good, nor will it be very satisfying.
They don’t recommend eating the wax if you can avoid it.
However, if you find that your child is biting into the cheese—wax and all—then there isn’t cause for concern.
Conclusion
Babybel Cheese tends to be more expensive than other cheeses in its category.
Its emphasis on sustainable farming, production costs, and reputation back in France all add to its final price tag.
Luckily, since it’s mass-produced, there are lots of ways that you can save money on this yummy snack.
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