Groupe Bel, owner of successful snacking brands such as Babybel and GoGo SqueeZ, is acquiring the Brainiac and Little Brainiac brands. This takes Bel’s snacking portfolio in the US into the emergent kids brain health space, with a brand that can be found in 40,000 grocery outlets and is an innovator with science-based ingredients such as MFGM.

Founded in 2017 by two industry veterans who were also parents of young children, Brainiac developed a patented blend of brain-health nutrients, such as choline and DHA omega-3s, delivered via everyday foods like applesauce, smoothies, purées and juices. They provide the omega-3 equivalent of a child’s portion of salmon (65mg), and the choline of two cups of broccoli (120g) in each applesauce or puree pouch, with no added sugar and no sweeteners. Brainiac's goal was to bridge the gap between ideal nutrition for developing brains and what kids will actually eat, using a science-first approach that embraces innovation. 

In addition to its range of snacking foods for kids, the company launched the Little Brainiac range of weaning foods in 2022, containing its Neuro+ blend of nutrients, which includes omega-3 and choline alongside milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), a unique dairy ingredient found in breast milk that has been shown to support infant brain development, to reinforce the immune system and optimise gastrointestinal health. For the time being, the Little Brainiac Neuro+ range with MFGM is only available for younger children, due to the company’s insistence that strong science should be the basis for its formulation – and the baby aisle is also where there tends to be the most awareness of brain health ingredients. 

“There’s emerging science that it’s useful for children as they get older and for adults, but it is a nutrient where the science is strongest for babies and young infants,” one of the company's founders told NNB in December 2025. “We wanted to make sure we were going to be putting our best foot forward for our target consumer, meaning parents of young kids.” 

Products are developed with input from nutrition scientists, paediatricians, neurologists, and dietitians. The product line-up includes:

• Applesauce and fruit and vegetable pouches

• Fruit snacks 

• Organic pouches and smoothies (the Little Brainiac line, with prebiotics or other additions).

• Nut butters, bars and juices

Paris-based Groupe Bel already owns the most successful applesauce brand in the US, GoGoSqueez, acquired in 2022 from another French group, Materne, who launched it in the US back in 2008. Retail sales are not disclosed but are thought to be well north of $300 million per annum.