La Quercynoise strengthens its financial resources to modernize and adapt its industrial facilities

Unigrains invests €4 million in the context of a global fundraising effort to finance strategic investment projects totaling €21.5 million

Gramat & Paris, October 8^th, 2024 – Unigrains, the agri-food and agro-industry specialized investor, has invested €4 million in La Quercynoise, a union of agricultural cooperatives specialized in the production, transformation and commercialization of duck-based specialty products. This investment is part of a global fundraising effort by La Quercynoise to finance its strategic investment project aimed at modernizing and adapting its industrial facilities, located in Gramat, France, totaling €21.5 million to be deployed over several years.

Created in 2001, a subsidiary of the French cooperative NATERA (born from the recent fusion between CAPEL and UNICOR), based in the Lot department of France, La Quercynoise is a major grouping of producers in the northeast of l’Occitanie region, bringing together more than 150 duck farmers. As part of its integrated approach, La Quercynoise covers the production, transformation and commercialization of 2 to 2.5 million farm-raised ducks per year. With sales of €80 million and over 400 employees, La Quercynoise is a regional leader and the 5^th largest actor in its sector in France.

The terms of Unigrains’ investment will notably be indexed to non-financial performance indicators such as environmental transition, animal welfare and employee health and safety.

Benoit Costes, President of La Quercynoise, declared: “Through its historical ties with the French agricultural sector, Unigrains perfectly understands our industry and shares our deep attachment to our local territory. Beyond the financial aspects, we are delighted to count on Unigrains’ support and sector expertise in the context of our strategic reflections.”

François-Xavier Masson, Investment Director with Unigrains, declared: “La Quercynoise is a leading actor, well-positioned in its market, benefiting from recognized expertise and quality for over 20 years. The modernization of its industrial facilities will allow it to reach new economic and environmental objectives – fully in line with Unigrains’ mission to make positive contributions to agricultural and food transitions.”

La Quercynoise was advised and supported throughout the operation by AuxinéA, a consulting and service provider created within the Unigrains Group in 2021.