Limagrain to acquire French company Graines Gondian

Vilmorin & Cie (The Limagrain seed business) is announcing its project to acquire the business activities of the French company Graines Gondian through its Business Unit Vilmorin Jardin. The 3rd largest player on the French market, Graines Gondian produces and sells vegetable and flower seeds, and also grass seeds, for home gardeners throughout all the distribution channels.

A subsidiary of Groupe VIVADOUR, Graines Gondian has 30 employees, and made sales of about 7 million euros in 2017.

This acquisition project would enable Vilmorin & Cie to significantly consolidate its positions on a market for home garden seed packets which has faced continual erosion for several years. Indeed Vilmorin & Cie would be able to benefit from powerful complementarities and synergies that exist between Vilmorin Jardin and Graines Gondian, particularly in terms of product line-ups and customer portfolios.

Vilmorin Jardin and Graines Gondian have signed a unilateral promise for the transfer of the business activity. Nevertheless this project remains subject to the report following consultation with staff representatives; it could come into effect for the start of fiscal year 2018-2019.