FrenchFood Capital, an investment management company specialising in equity financing for companies in the food sector, has taken another major step forward in its development by announcing a double transaction enabling it to change size to achieve its ambition of becoming one of the leading investors in French companies in the food sector.
FrenchFood Capital welcomes Sofiprotéol, an investment company dedicated to the agricultural and food sectors, as a reference minority shareholder. This strategic partnership is part of a shared long-term vision aimed at accelerating the development of FrenchFood Capital and supporting the transition to food throughout the value chain, from upstream agriculture to downstream. Jean-Philippe Puig, Executive Officer of Avril SCA and Chief Executive Officer of Sofiprotéol, will join the Supervisory Board of FrenchFood Capital on this occasion.
FrenchFood Capital is also welcoming Agro Invest and its team into the company, which now has €400 million in assets under management, and creating a new Small Cap fund, with a target size of €100 million, dedicated to SMEs in the agri-food sector.
As a complement to FrenchFood Positive Impact, its existing vehicle specialising in the Small Cap segment, this new fund will enable FrenchFood Capital to cover all the equity investment needs of companies in the sector, from SMEs to ETIs, by deploying investment tickets ranging from €3 million to €10 million. To date, 50% of the target size of this new fund has been secured, confirming the relevance of these themes to investors. Sofiprotéol, BPIFrance and Crédit Agricole, Agro Invest's historic investors, have confirmed their participation in this round of financing.
Commenting on the announcement, Laurent Plantier and Paul Moutinho, Partners of FrenchFood Capital, said: "We are delighted to be writing a new chapter in the history of FrenchFood Capital by welcoming Sofiprotéol as a significant shareholder. We are convinced that they will be solid partners to support us in the development of FrenchFood Capital over the coming years to meet all the needs of the sector. Their expertise in the world of agriculture and its challenges will enable us to strengthen our impact on all stakeholders in the food value chain. We would also like to welcome the Agro Invest team, with whom we are proud to launch this new fund dedicated to small and medium enterprises.”
About FrenchFood Capital
Founded by Perrine Bismuth, Paul Moutinho and Laurent Plantier, three entrepreneurs with backgrounds in the food and investment sectors, FrenchFood Capital is a management company that works closely with its investee companies to help them emerge and develop into market leaders. With €400m in assets under management, the company currently manages four funds in the Small Cap and Mid Cap segments to meet all the equity needs of food companies, from VSEs to ETIs. FrenchFood Capital brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and managers to build sustainable value for the sector. The company is the initiator of FoodCamp, an event that brings together 200 managers and entrepreneurs to discuss the future of food and has set up the FrenchFood Network to develop exchanges between decision-makers in the sector.
About Sofiprotéol
Created in 1983 following an initiative by the agricultural world, Sofiprotéol is Avril's financing and development company. It provides long-term support to companies in the agricultural and agri-food sectors, helping them to become more competitive. From credit to equity, the financing solutions offered by Sofiprotéol incorporate extra-financial impact criteria that are fully in line with Avril's purpose "To serve the earth".
Press contacts
FrenchFood Capital
Alexandra van Weddingen Eleonore Barreyre
Alva Alva
0611011791 0648175222
avanweddingen@alvaconseil.com ebarreyre@alvaconseil.com
Sofiprotéol
Béatrice Germain
06 66 81 48 17
beatrice.germain@avril.com