Agrial names Julien Heillaut as CEO, Effective July 2025
FRANCE – Agrial, a French agricultural cooperative and food processor, has named Julien Heillaut as the new CEO, effective July 1, 2025. Heillaut will take over from Ludovic Spiers, who is retiring after more than 35 years with the cooperative.
He will be Agrial’s third CEO in 25 years, following Jean-Marie Meulle (2000-2010) and Ludovic Spiers (2010-2025).
Spiers has led Agrial, known for brands like Florette salad and Breizh Cola soft drinks, since 2010. Since 2020, Heillaut has been in charge of Agrial’s vegetables division. He joined the cooperative in 2018 from Labeyrine Fine Foods, another French manufacturer.
Agrial operates over 100 production facilities in ten countries, managing a diverse portfolio of brands and 900 products across five divisions.
The company’s offerings include dairy, fresh produce, meat, and beverages. The cooperative is supported by 12,500 farmer members and employs 22,000 staff.
In addition to Florette, Agrial’s food brands include Soignon cheese and Maitre Jacques meat products. Its drinks business features brands such as Loïc Raison cider.
Julien Heillaut joined Agrial in 2019 after holding various positions at Royal Canin (Groupe Mars) and Blini (Groupe Labeyrie), including Factory Manager, Director of Operations, and Deputy CEO.
At 55 years old, he has been the Director of the Vegetable FO and the Managing Director of the Priméale France BU since 2020, after serving as Deputy Managing Director of Créaline (Agrial’s Fresh Produce division) for a year.
Heillaut will continue as Director of the Vegetable FO and Managing Director of the Priméale France BU until his successor is appointed. Agrial’s Board of Directors extends its warmest thanks to Ludovic Spiers, who will retire in July 2025, after more than 35 years with the cooperative.
Agrial will have the opportunity to honor him and reflect on his career at the end of the first half of 2025.
In 2023, the company reported a 3.7% increase in sales, reaching €7.4 billion (US$7.83 billion), with an EBITDA of €239 million.
Announcing the results in June, Spiers said: “The performance in 2023 is further proof of Agrial’s resilience, capable of adapting with agility in the face of growing uncertainties and hazards in the economic and agricultural context, accentuated by geopolitical tensions and climatic disturbances.”
Agrial has partnered with Savencia’s Dairy Europe to involve 1,300 producers and cover an annual collection of 1 billion liters, marking a historical first in the industry between a dairy player and a cooperative company.
This partnership embodies the commitments shared by Savencia and Agrial to improve the environmental footprint and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the upstream dairy sector.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
