A clutch of private-equity firms have acquired a minority stake in French rice supplier Marbour.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Cerea Partners, Société Générale Capital Partenaires and BNP Paribas Développement have backed Marbour as it starts to “refocus on the agri-food sector and the production of microwaveable ready meals”, a statement announcing the deal read.
Marbour is also looking to explore new opportunities in North America with the investment, as well as “strengthening its positions in its current markets in Europe”.
Alongside the investment, there has been a change in the senior management of the business. Sébastien Bourdillon has taken over as chairman of Marbour from his father, Jean Bourdillon. The Bourdillion family remains the majority shareholder.
Marbour generates circa €300m ($333.5m) in revenue with more than 900 employees worldwide, according to a Cerea Partners statement.
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By GlobalDataIt has production sites in markets including France, the UK, Italy and Canada, with some dedicated to pouches and others to dry rice.
Marbour’s subsidiaries include France’s Inariz and Wales-based FEI Foods, which manufacture for other brands.
Just Food has contacted Marbour for further details about the investment.
In 2019, Italian rice business Euricom acquired assets from Marbour in Italy, the Netherlands and Poland for an undisclosed sum. Marbour Foods’ annual turnover was almost halved to around EUR180m following the sale.
Marbour acquired France-based crisp maker Sibell a few months later, which had been under judicial administration since February.
