The Autorité de la Concurrence has approved two major mergers, between Greenyard Frozen France and Eureden, and between the Terres du Sud and Vivadour agricultural cooperatives
France’s competition authority has given its unconditional approval for two joint ventures, between Belgium’s Greenyard and French cooperative Eureden, as well as between agricultural cooperatives Terres du Sud and Vivadour.
The Greenyard–Eureden JV is set to combine the frozen vegetable and ready-meal operations of their respective French subsidiaries, Greenyard Frozen France and Gelagri Bretagne, operating two production site in Brittany and supplying private-label products and manufacturer brands such as D’Aucy and Paysan Breton.
The competition authority concluded that the JV would not significantly alter competitive dynamics due to the existence of alternative suppliers like Terre de l’Ouest, Arcal, Bonduelle and Ardo Foods.
“The Autorité also ruled out the risk of coordinated competitive behaviour between the parent companies in the markets in which they would remain competitors after the transaction, as their market shares are highly asymmetrical, reducing any economic incentive to coordinate,” it stated.
The Autorité also cleared the merger of Terres du Sud and Vivadour, which will create France’s 20th biggest agricultural cooperative by consolidated turnover, with around 9,000 member farmers across south-west France.
“With the decisions issued today,” it said, “the Autorité confirms its pragmatic approach to examining mergers. In the agricultural sector, its approach seeks to balance and support upstream value creation, while ensuring there are no price rises for French consumers.”
