The Caribbean’s Groupe Antilles Glaces has become a majority shareholder of France-based desserts and savoury-snacks business Groupe Saint Aubin.

Antilles Glaces, which produces dairy products, soft drinks, beer, jams and fresh produce in the French West Indies and Guyana, purchased the group from European private investment firm Capza.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Groupe Saint Aubin, based in Paray-le-Monial in central France, manufactures desserts, savoury snacks and ready-made products. It supplies supermarket chains, bakery chains and distributors serving the catering industry.

The company has 119 employees with three production sites in the Saône-et-Loire region. It is present in France and abroad with its three brands: Les Délices de Janice, Chapuis Traiteur Surgelé and Chapuis Traiteur Frais.

Capza, which acquired Groupe Saint Aubin in 2019, has sold its entire stake. 

Valérie Ladieu, managing director at Antilles Glaces, said: “We have found at Saint Aubin many values ​​common to those of our group and we are happy to be able to continue the work started and develop the activity in particular by implementing the synergies that we have identified.

“The expert and experienced management team will continue to support the growth of Saint Aubin, which for us is a key element of this acquisition.”

The Caribbean company has eight factories and nine logistics platforms in Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and mainland France.

Emmanuel Bonnaud, managing partner at Capza, said: “This operation concludes four years of in-depth work where team spirit and the search for excellence played a determining role. We are delighted and honoured that a serious partner in Antilles Glaces is taking over as majority shareholder of Saint Aubin and wish them, as well as the teams, the best for their continued development.”

The move marks Antilles Glaces’ second in mainland France after snapping up ice-cream maker Glaces de Lyon in 2018.