Avril, an industrial and financial player in the vegetable oil and protein sector, has entered into exclusive negotiations with Axéréal, an agricultural and food industry cooperative group, to acquire all of Axéréal’s animal nutrition business by Avril and its business unit, Sanders.
This transaction reaffirms the long-term commitment of the two groups in support of the agricultural world, particularly French livestock farming, serving dynamic sectors within the various local regions, and promoting French food sovereignty. Moreover, this transaction consolidates two major players in the animal feed sector: Sanders, an Avril business unit, and Axéréal Elevage.
“This project falls fully in line with our growth strategy,” said Jean-Philippe Puig, CEO of Avril. “It will consolidate our position in the agricultural products and services market, placing Avril more than ever at the junction of animal and vegetal operations. This venture, designed to strengthen livestock breeding in local areas, is at the heart of our commitments and our purpose, serving the Earth.”
Through this project, the two groups expect to contribute to preserving sustainable livestock sectors in their territories. They also intend to address the key issue for the future of French livestock farming, namely the link between animal and vegetal agricultural worlds through a common and shared ambition: to make better use of livestock farmers’ products while creating greater value for the French farm.
“At Sanders, we are firmly committed to the future of French livestock farming,” said Philippe Manry, general manager of Sanders. “We remain convinced that this will be achieved through a more equitable distribution of value, and also by decarbonizing the sector to meet the current challenges of climate change and sovereignty. This transaction is a significant step for Sanders and all our teams in the field. Every day, they are mobilizing their efforts in the territories, alongside livestock farmers. This demonstrates our ambition for the future of livestock farming and our commitment to strive, alongside livestock farmers, against any further decapitalization. We will be even stronger in responding together with the Axéréal Elevage teams.”
Completion of this acquisition will be subject to an information-consultation process with Axéréal Elevage’s employee representatives as well as to prior approval by the French Competition Authority (Autorité de la Concurrence).
