View source for The Laughing Cow

{{Short description|Brand of processed cheese products}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox cheese
| name = {{lang|en|The Laughing Cow}} (La Vache qui Rit)
| image = [[File:Vache qui rit.png]]
| othernames = Laughing Cow Cheese
| country = {{ubl|[[France]]|(produced worldwide)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.groupe-bel.com/en/brands/brands/the-laughing-cow/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160711071958/http://www.groupe-bel.com/en/brands/brands/the-laughing-cow/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 July 2016 |title=The Laughing Cow, more than 90 years and still smiling |website=Groupe Bel |accessdate=28 May 2017 }}</ref>}}
| region = [[Lons-le-Saunier]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rfi.fr/contenu/20091106-vache-rit |first=Danielle |last=Birck |title=La Vache qui rit |date=6 November 2009 |website=[[Radio France Internationale]] |accessdate=28 May 2017 |language=French}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lamaisondelavachequirit.com/tout-sur-la-marque/la-vache-qui-rit-sa-vie-son-oeuvre.html |title=Découvrir |website=The House of the Laughing Cow |accessdate=28 May 2017 |language=French}}</ref>
| source = [[Cow]]
| 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''' ({{langx|fr|'''La vache qui rit'''}} {{IPA|fr|la vaʃ ki ʁi}}) is a brand of [[processed cheese]] products made by [[Fromageries Bel]] since 1921. The name refers in particular to the brand's most popular product, the spreadable wedge.<ref name="What kind of cheese is The Laughing Cow?">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelaughingcow.com.au|title=Welcome to the world of The Laughing Cow!|access-date=2022-11-21|website= The Laughing Cow
|language=en}}</ref>

==Description==
The cheese is a blend of cream, milk, and fresh and aged cheeses, particularly [[Comté (cheese)|comté]], which are [[pasteurization|pasteurized]] to stop the ripening process. Versatile and keeping due to 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 a red tab for opening. The company was founded in 1921. The Laughing Cow is available in these formats in different worldwide markets:
* Triangles, squares, or rectangles in various flavors.<ref name="fatfromthelaughingcowyet">{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Laughing-Spreadable-Cheese-Wedge-Variety/dp/B08FCL4HDP/ref=sr_1_17_sspa?keywords=Laughing+Cow+Cheese&qid=1669653245&sr=8-17-spons&psc=1&smid=A1I602HFB892OY&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyM1dOOUw5UlFNWUNCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDQ1NDc0M0xLRzJLOUo1UkgxOCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDI0MTE1MVEyMFQ4WURJT05TRSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=|title=The Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedge Variety pack|access-date=2021-10-22|website= [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]|language=en}}</ref>
* Spreadable tubs and jars
* The Laughing Cow '''Dip & Crunch''' (name in the [[Americas]] and the [[UK]]), previously named '''Cheez Dippers''', which are snacks consisting of bread sticks and cheese spread, and these come in four varieties; original, light, [[hazelnut]] and [[pizza]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Dip & Crunch Original Cheese Dippers |url=https://www.thelaughingcow.co.uk/products/cheese-snacks/cheese-dips/dip-crunch-original/ |website=The Laughing Cow |access-date=28 May 2025 |language=English}}</ref> Named '''Pik & Croq''' in [[mainland Europe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Nos produits > Pik&Croq'® Nature |url=https://www.ribambel.com/produits/la-vache-qui-rit/pikcroq-nature |website=Ribambel |access-date=28 May 2025 |language=French}}</ref> The name Cheez Dippers is still in use in the [[Southeast Asian]] market, where they are also available in two sugary fruit flavors<ref>{{cite web | last=C | first=Claus | title=The Laughing Cow launches delicious Cheez Dippers | website=Food Infotech | date=2024-07-17 | url=https://www.foodinfotech.com/the-laughing-cow-brings-innovation-to-snacking-with-delicious-cheez-dippers/ | access-date=2025-05-28}}</ref>, and in [[Australia]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Cheez Dippers – The Laughing Cow | website=The Laughing Cow – The Laughing Cow | url=https://thelaughingcow.com.au/cheez-dippers/ | access-date=2025-05-28}}</ref>
* Slicing blocks of The Laughing Cow with a harder consistency like that of butter
* '''{{lang|fr|Ma P'tite Vache Qui Rit}}''', pods of cheese spread to be eaten out of the pod with a spoon, especially for younger children
* '''Toastinette''' processed cheese slices, similar to [[Kraft Singles]]
* Bite-sized cubes, in various flavours and designed to be served as aperitifs at cocktail parties - which are called '''Cheez & Fun''' in many European countries, and also '''Snack Bites''' in the [[UK]], {{lang|fr|'''Apéricube'''}} in [[France]], [[Belgium]] and the [[Netherlands]], '''PartyCubes''' in [[Canada]], '''Mini Cubes''' in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], and '''Belcube''' in [[Japan]] and [[South Korea]]. They are produced in 24- or 48-cube boxes of one flavour, e.g. [[blue cheese|blue]], [[ham]], [[salmon (food)|salmon]], [[chili pepper]] and [[olive]], or they are produced in 24- or 48-cube boxes of a particular theme, e.g., 'Cocktails du Monde', 'Petites Recettes', '[[Tex-Mex]]' and '[[Indian cuisine|Indian]]'.

Discontinued formats of The Laughing Cow include: 
* '''Giggles'''/'''Blop''' processed cheese pods for younger children
* Squeeze bottles
* '''Big Cheez Dipper''' (a larger version of Cheez Dippers)
* '''Cheez Double Dippers''' (which contained [[bacon bits|crispy bacon flavour bits]] in addition to bread sticks and cheese spread).

The Laughing Cow USA introduced a TV commercial in 2009 where the company introduced a new slogan, "Have you laughed today?". In 2010 they updated the brand's website to include cheese recipes.
[[Image:Wedge of Laughing Cow spreadable cheese Original Creamy Swiss flavor.JPG|thumb|right|A wedge of Original Creamy Swiss]]

Laughing Cow cheese is available in its original flavour, a light version with 7% fat, and an ultra-light version with 3% fat. In addition, flavoured versions of the cheese (such as [[ham]], [[Gruyère (cheese)|gruyère]], [[garlic]], [[paprika]], [[mushroom]], [[goat cheese|chèvre]], [[blue cheese|bleu]], [[hazelnut]], [[pizza]], [[jalapeño]] and [[onion]]) are also available in various markets worldwide.

==Evolution of the brand==
The concept of a laughing or smiling cow in advertising may predate the creation of The Laughing Cow brand. A 1903 advertisement in an American newspaper featured a smiling cow promoting "Star Brand Butter" and "Milton's Ice Cream".<ref>{{cite news |title=The Miltons. Star Brand. Churn |newspaper=The Saint Paul Globe |date=1903-05-10 |page=11 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-05-10/ed-1/seq-11/#&index=7&words=This+COW+laughing&phrasetext=This+laughing+COW&page=1 |access-date=2023-07-21 |via=[[Chronicling America]]}}</ref>

The Laughing Cow brand as we know it today was established later. On April 16, 1921, [[Léon Bel]] trademarked his brand, as {{lang|fr|La Vache Qui Rit}}, in France.<ref name="INPI_tresors">{{Cite web |url=https://www.inpi.fr/innovation-la-galerie/tresors/bienvenue-la-vache-qui-rit-1921 |title=Bienvenue à la Vache Qui Rit (1921) |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=[[National Institute of Industrial Property (France)]] (INPI) |date=12 January 2016 |language=fr|at=open the "+" beside "Combien de portions de..." }}</ref><ref name="Usine2011" /> Bel had made the original drawing himself, after seeing a travelling meat wagon during [[World War I]] called {{lang|fr|"La Wachkyrie"}}, a [[pun|play on the word]] for ''[[Valkyrie]]''.<ref name="Usine2011">{{Cite journal |url=https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/les-secrets-de-la-vache-qui-rit-enfin-perces.N149960 |title=Les secrets de La Vache Qui Rit enfin percés ! |date=2011-04-13 |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=[[L'Usine nouvelle]] |last=Déniel |first=Patrick |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221224647/https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/les-secrets-de-la-vache-qui-rit-enfin-perces.N149960 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> The cow in the original drawing was not red and did not wear ear tags. In 1924, illustrator [[Benjamin Rabier]] edited the drawing into something more like the image that prevails today.<ref name="INPI_tresors" />

The Laughing Cow is now depicted as a red and white cow appearing jovial, and almost always wearing [[ear tags]] that look like the round boxes the cheese comes in. The blue and white stripes around the box date from 1955. Since 1976 both ear-tag boxes have been shown with the top side visible. Before then, one tag showed the top and the other showed the bottom side. The current logo uses the [[Droste effect]], with the laughing cow appearing inside the ear tags.<ref name=Merow2013>{{cite web |last1=Merow |first1=Katharine |title=Escher and the Droste Effect |url=https://www.maa.org/meetings/calendar-events/escher-and-the-droste-effect |publisher=Mathematical Association of America |date=2013 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130802065246/https://www.maa.org/meetings/calendar-events/escher-and-the-droste-effect |archivedate=2 August 2013}}</ref>

Kiri (pronounced in the same way as {{lang|fr|"qui rit"}}) is a separate brand that Bel established in 1966.<ref name="BellKiri">{{Cite web|url=https://www.groupe-bel.com/en/kiri-the-mythic-little-square-with-the-childhood-taste/|title=Kiri|access-date=2021-07-24|website=Le Groupe Bel|language=en|archive-date=2021-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802142955/https://www.groupe-bel.com/en/kiri-the-mythic-little-square-with-the-childhood-taste/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Worldwide popularity==
The cheese has long been popular in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Canada]] as a children's snack.<ref name="child snack">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vegiac.com/is-laughing-cow-cheese-gluten-free/|title=Is Laughing Cow Cheese Gluten-Free?|access-date=2022-11-25|website=[[Vegiac]]|date=29 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The cheese has also been a constant, but hardly popular, product in the [[United States]] for a number of years.

Localized names include:  
* {{lang|fr|La Vache qui Rit}} in {{FRA}}, {{CAN}} (French-speaking areas only), {{SUI}}, {{BEL}}, the {{NLD}}, {{NOR}}, {{GRE}}, {{LTU}}, {{MLT}}, {{DZA}}, {{MAR}}, {{EGY}} and other Arabic-speaking countries
* ''The Laughing Cow'' in [[English language|English]]-speaking countries, the rest of Canada, {{IND}} and {{IDN}}
* {{lang|de|Die Lachende Kuh}} in [[German language|German]]-speaking countries except for Switzerland
* {{lang|es|La Vaca que Ríe}} in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking countries
* {{lang|pt|A Vaca que Ri}} in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]-speaking countries
* {{lang|ar|البقرة الضاحكة}} in {{KSA}} and other Arabic speaking countries
* {{lang|ru|Весёлая Бурёнка}} ({{Transliteration|ru|Vesyolaya Buryonka}}) in {{RUS}}
* {{lang|ja|ラッフィングカウ}} ({{Transliteration|ja|Raffingu Kau}}) in {{JPN}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bel-japon.com/csr/|title=CSR|script-title=ja:CSR情報|accessdate=2021-09-22|publisher=ベル ジャポン (Bell Japon)|at=お客様のニーズにお応えする商品|language=ja|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509120858/http://www.bel-japon.com/csr/|archivedate=2017-05-09|url-status=live}}</ref>
* {{lang|ko|래핑카우}} in {{KOR}}
* {{lang|zh|乐芝牛}} in {{CHN}}
* {{lang|zh|笑牛牌}} in {{HKG}}
* {{lang|it|La Mucca che Ride}} in {{ITA}}
* {{lang|sv|Den Skrattande Kon}} in {{SWE}}
* {{lang|da|Den Leende ko}} in {{DEN}}
* {{lang|fr|La Vache qui Rit}}, {{lang|tr|Gülen İnek}} in {{TUR}}
* {{lang|pl|Krówka Śmieszka}} in {{POL}}
* {{lang|hu|Nevető tehén}} in {{HUN}}
* {{lang|hr|Krava koja se smije}} in {{HRV}}
* {{lang|ro|Văcuța veselă}} in {{ROM}}
* {{lang|uk|Весела Корівка}} ({{Transliteration|uk|Vesela Korivka}}) in {{UKR}}
* {{lang|cs|Veselá kráva}} in the {{CZE}}
* {{lang|el|Η Αγελάδα που Γελά}} ({{Transliteration|el|I Agelada pou Gela}}) in {{CYP}}
* {{lang|fa|{{Script|fa-Arab|گاو خندان}}|rtl=y}} ({{Transliteration|fa|Gav e Khandaan}}) in {{IRN}}
* {{lang|id|Sapi Ceria}} in {{IDN}} (formerly)
* {{lang|vi|Con Bò Cười}} in {{VIE}}
* {{lang|mg|Ilay Omby Vavy Mifaly}} in {{MAD}}
* {{lang|he|לה וואש קירי}} in {{ISR}}

== Other associations ==
* The product name and indicia were adopted by the crew of [[World War II]] German submarine [[German submarine U-69 (1940)#Emblem|''U-69'']], whose sinking of the {{SS|Robin Moor}} was significant to US entry into World War II.
* {{lang|fr|La Vache qui Rit|}} is the name of an EP by late 1980s [[Washington, D.C.]], punk band Rain with connection to [[Dischord Records]].
* {{lang|fr|Le Vache qui Rit}} is the name of a 1982 [[Extended play|EP]] by [[UK]] [[Anarchist]] [[Punk rock|Punk]] [[band (music)|band]] [[Zounds]].
* {{lang|fr|La Vache Qui Rit}} is the name of a finishing move in the 1994 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.
* {{lang|fr|La vache qui lit}} ('The reading cow') is the children's book prize of the city of [[Zürich]], and a children's book program in the Auvergne region of France.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://editionslavachequilit.com/ |title=Les Editions la vache qui lit |website=editionslavachequilit.com |accessdate=28 May 2017 |language=French}}</ref>
* The Laughing Cow's mascot appears on the cover of the 2002 album ''Human'' by UK electronic musician Freeform.

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Emmi AG]] - manufacturer of Swiss Knight brand of spreadable cheese wedges
* [[Dairylea (cheese)]] - Similar popular spreadable cheese in UK/Ireland
* [[Babybel]] - another internationally distributed snack-sized cheese product produced by Fromageries Bel

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100201225546/http://www.bel-uk.co.uk/the-laughing-cow.asp The Laughing Cow] at The Bel Group's web site
* [http://www.thelaughingcow.com/ The Laughing Cow] Brand site features [https://web.archive.org/web/20130923114029/http://www.thelaughingcow.com/recipes/ cheese recipes] and [http://www.thelaughingcow.com/ snack cheese] information
* [http://www.lavachequirit.com La Vache qui rit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601151333/http://www.lavachequirit.com/ |date=2018-06-01 }} official site {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://www.lamaisondelavachequirit.com/en/ La Maison de La Vache qui rit] – A museum operated by Fromageries Bel. ([[:fr:La Maison de La Vache qui rit]])
{{Processed cheese}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laughing Cow}}
[[Category:French cheeses]]
[[Category:Fictional cattle]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic cattle]]
[[Category:Laughter]]
[[Category:Cattle mascots]]
[[Category:Processed cheese]]
[[Category:Food advertising characters]]
[[Category:Female characters in advertising]]
[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1921]]
[[Category:Brand name dairy products]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1921]]
[[Category:Food and drink introduced in 1921]]