Terrena, supported by Sofiprotéol, to purchase D&P’s controlling stake in Doux

Terrena, supported by Sofiprotéol as minority shareholder, has signed an exclusive agreement with D&P Participations, a subsidiary of the Calmels family’s holding company, with a view to purchasing its 52.5% controlling interest in Doux Group.

Third biggest French poultry producer with 2014 revenue of €457 million, Doux operates in two major markets: large scale export of poultry, principally to the Middle East, and processed products, mainly under the Père Dodu brand.

The exclusivity period will be used to finalize a draft agreement for the deal subject to the required approvals and informing and consulting employee representatives.

Following the transaction, Terrena, supported by Sofiprotéol as minority shareholder, will hold a controlling equity stake in Doux alongside the current principal shareholder.

Through this agreement the partners plan to take advantage of a growing market for poultry driven by buoyant world consumption, and to take an active part in the consolidation of the competitive poultry export industry while adding value for French poultry farmers.

About Terrena

With revenue of €4.7 billion, 12,159 employees and nearly 22,000 members in 2014, the Terrena cooperative is one of France’s key players in agriculture and agribusiness. Terrena is an integral part of France’s western agricultural basin, one of the largest in Europe. Its core territory covers the departments of Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. Terrena is committed to a new pact between agriculture and society, serving the interests of farmers by putting forward solutions for producing more and better with less and developing Ecologically Intensive Agriculture, through La Nouvelle Agriculture® movement.

Terrena is part of the poultry industry through Gastronome, its brands including Fermiers d’Ancenis and Douce France. It is no. 2 in the French market with revenues of €850 million and a 45% equity stake in Fermiers du Sud Ouest with its Saint Sever brand.

About Sofiprotéol 

As an Avril group subsidiary, Sofiprotéol is a finance and development company focused mainly on the French oils and proteins segments. It supports companies of all sizes and aids development and innovation through loans and minority shareholdings.

About D&P 

Founded by Didier Calmels and supported by his son Martin Calmels, since 1992 D&P has invested equity funds in French SMEs, to support start-ups or companies in distress.

 D&P group has two principal activities:

• Managing over €200 million through its funds subscribed to by French investors and over seventy businessmen;

and

• Direct stakes in companies such as Doux group, in which it has held a controlling interest since 2013.

About Doux Group

Founded in 1955, Doux is no. 1 European poultry exporter, producing 1 million birds a day and accounting for 20% of total French poultry output; it is also the third largest producer worldwide, with 15% of whole chicken exports in the world.

D&P posted 2014 revenues of €457 million and had 2,317 employees. 2015 revenues are forecast at around €530 million with volume growth of 8 to 10%.

Doux SA (the export division) will report 2015 revenues of some €390 million from whole poultry exports and a further €40 million from export products. The Group exports to over 100 countries, and the Doux brand is market leader in Saudi Arabia with modern retail market share of 31% via Almunajem Coldstores; one in two sausages sold in Saudi Arabia is a Doux sausage, and processed products are booming.

The export division has 4 production plants in France (3 abattoirs and 1 processed products plant), 2 hatcheries and 2 feed plants, with 1,765 employees (1,302 permanent and 463 temporary employees).

Soprat (processed products France) is French no. 1 in fresh breaded products through its Père Dodu brand, working with French supermarkets and caterers. It will report 2015 revenues of €100 million through its production site at La Vraie Croix (Morbihan), with 552 employees (418 permanent and 134 temporary employees).

The company emerged from court administration on November 29, 2013.

Didier Calmels is Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Arnaud Marion is Chairman of the Executive Board.

Press contacts 

Terrena
Jean-Baptiste Froville, Havas
+33 (0)1 58 47 95 39
jean-baptiste.froville@havasww.com 

Sofiprotéol
Tom Doron
+33 (0)1.78.14.80.09 – +33 (0)6.26.28.39.94
tom.doron@groupeavril.com

 D&P Participations
Caroline Simon, Image Sept
+33 (0)1.53.70.74.65
caroline.simon@image7.fr

 Doux Group
Guillaume Foucault, Corp Com
+33 6 52 11 37 65
guillaume.foucault@corpcom.fr