FRANCE – Agrial, a French agricultural cooperative and food processor, has announced the acquisition of Reilhe Martin company to reinforce its meat division’s presence in the poultry market.

Stéphane Poyac, the MD of Agrial’s meat division, said that this acquisition allows Agrial to strengthen its already solid positions in the Rungis market and to continue its proactive approach to poultry sectors.

It will be continuing to develop a meat branch focused on quality products that are meaningful for the farmer-members of the co-operative, she added.

Agrial has appointed Franck Martin and Pierre Portie, who are the previous owners of Reilhe Martin company to continue to manage the company in order to assist Agrial’s Meat division in the takeover of the business.

Like Avigros, Agrial’s existing poultry business, Reilhe Martin is based at the giant Rungis wholesale market in south of Paris and focuses on supplying poultry and meat under what Agrial calls “quality labels”.

Agrial said that Reilhe Martin markets more than 5,000 tonnes of meat, generating a turnover of EUR20million (US$21.4million). Poultry represents 80%, while game accounts for 20% of the total revenue of the company.

Through Avigros, Agrial sells 30,000 tonnes of poultry, making more than EUR100million (US$ 107.08 million), by supplying its products to restaurants, wholesalers, and butchers in the Paris region.

Overall, Agrial booked a turnover of EUR6.2billion (US$6.64billion) in 2021, employing 22,200 staff across more than 100 production sites in 11 markets.

In the same fiscal year, some 40% of the co-op’s turnover came from the dairy sector, with meat accounting for 9%.

Agrial has been looking to expand its meat business through Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) which led to several acquisitions in recent years starting with the acquisition of La Bresse and Sibert, two French SMEs making products including black pudding, ham, head products, and andouillettes.

In the second quarter of 2021, the French agricultural cooperative conducted an acquisition of a local French salami supplier, Salaisons du Mâconnais

The company stated that since it was exclusively present in cooked charcuterie, Salaisons du Mâconnais acquisition would allow it to gain a foothold in the dry charcuterie sector and accelerate its export development.

After the potential deal with Agrial, Salaisons du Mâconnais continued to be run by Jérôme and Sébastien Fouilloux, the former owners and managers of the company.

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