Terres du Sud announces the subscription, on January 9th, 2024, by Sofiprotéol and Unigrains, to a long-term quasi-equity instrument. This operation is in continuity of the Group’s March 2022 refinancing and reaffirms the confidence of investors in the agricultural cooperative’s ‘Développeur de terroirs’ project.
POSITIVE RESULTS FOR REAFFIRMED CONFIDENCE
Terres du Sud continues its sustainable and responsible growth trajectory. Building on significant progress with its results and financial structure, Terres du Sud aims to accelerate its strategic investments in service of its ‘Développeur de terroirs’ project. Through their subscription, exclusively and at parity, to a complement of the quasi-equity instrument previously issued by Terres du Sud in 2022, Sofiprotéol and Unigrains, both agri-food specialized investor, support the Group’s orientations. The reaffirmed confidence comforts Terres du Sud in its strategic challenges related to agricultural, food and energy transitions, as well as the ambition of the Group to reinvent its cooperative offer and relationships with members. This operation will notably enable the Group to accelerate its development through external growth operations. The quasi-equity instrument also integrates social and environmental criteria, in line with Terres du Sud’s commitments to alternative solutions for crop protection, energy efficiency, animal welfare and workplace safety.
Patrick Grizou, President and Sylvain Théon, CEO, Terres du Sud
“We are realizing the goals set out in the context of our ‘Développeur de terroirs’ corporate project: the strategic orientations executed over the past three years are bearing fruit and carry us forward. In a sector undergoing profound changes, Terres du Sud provides a diversified and qualitative offer to is clients, industrial partners and distributors, highlighting the diversity of our territory. Our know-how in omnichannel relationships, in digitalization and in data management bring added value to the crop and livestock segment. They respond to both societal expectations and the desire to further the sustainability of farms and agricultural & industrial practices. We are pleased to strengthen our long-term partnership with Sofiprotéol and Unigrains and are convinced that it will help us advance in realizing our project.”
Cyril Melin, Associate Director, Sofiprotéol
“Supporting Terres du Sud in its development projects is part of our well-established partnership and we are delighted to reaffirm our confidence. Our support is long term and aims to accelerated investments in industrial processing facilities, enhancing the valuation of member’s agricultural productions and a strengthened offer of additional services.
The integration of ESG criteria as part of the financing demonstrates the desire of Terres du Sud and of its investors to support agricultural and environmental transitions, in line with Groupe Avril and Sofiprotéol’s mission: ‘Servir la Terre’.”
Florence Alin, Investment Director, Unigrains
« Terres du Sud demonstrates the essential role that agricultural cooperatives play in favor of agroecological, environmental, energy and digital transitions. This new investment is an example of Unigrains’ long-term, active and responsible commitment in line with our mission to foster positive contributions through our sector expertise, economic studies and added-value platform and CSR policy. The renewal of our support also illustrates our confidence in the strategic and financial orientations of a dynamic group, resolutely turned towards the future and fully equipped to seize new opportunities.”
Terres du Sud (Sylvain Théon, Patrick Darricau, Emilie Jouen, Youri Lebeau) was advised and accompanied in this operation by AuxinéA (Catherine Requier).
Actors involved in the quasi-equity investment:
- For Sofiprotéol: Cyril Melin, Martin Mézières, Anne-Sophie Dubourg
- For Unigrains: Florence Alin, Mehdi Billaud, Aline Picaut