Who is this New Giant in the French Agri-Food Landscape?

BUSINESS: The agricultural cooperatives Agrial and Terrena, among the largest in France, are considering a merger

Florette salad, Signon cheese, Kerisac cider or Breizh Cola sodas. Here are some of the well-known brands of Agrial, the largest French agricultural cooperative. A heavyweight in the French agri-food industry with a turnover of more than seven billion euros. An amount that could grow further in the near future. Monday, the agricultural cooperative established in Caen (Calvados) announced that it was launching a merger with Terrena, the third largest agricultural cooperative in the country. Based in Loire-atlantique, the group also owns brands well known to the French such as Père Dodu, Tipiak and Douce France. In 2024, it had a turnover of more than five billion euros.

In advanced discussions for several months, the two entities are considering a “strategic merger”, which could create a French agri-food giant, we have learned in a joint press release confirming the information.

During the study phase, the project will be submitted to a vote by members meeting in general meetings soon. But why get closer? To “capitalize on the complementarity of activities”, say the cooperatives. Terrena and Agrial hope to strengthen their cooperative model with the aim of being “competitive in all market segments, such as conventional, organic or Label Rouge”. Both groups work in both animals and plants.

The Competition Authority contacted

The realization of this project will be subject “to the approval of the Competition Authority” and will also be “the subject of consultation information with staff representatives of the two cooperatives”. Agrial has more than 12,000 member farmers, particularly in the west of France. As for Terrena, it brings together 18,000 farms and 13,000 employees.

By combining their turnover, the two cooperatives would exceed 12 billion euros. The Sodiaal group (Yoplait, Candia, Entremont…), with a turnover of 5.8 billion euros, completes the French podium of the largest cooperatives. Lactalis (President, Lactel, Bridel…) remains far away the French leader in the agri-food industry with a turnover of more than 30 billion euros for 2024. The company based in Mayenne is not a cooperative, but a multinational.