Supermarket chain Intermarché plans to offload eight of its manufacturing facilities in France.
Intermarché Announces divestment of Eight Production Plants
Intermarché Agromousquetaires, the agro-food subsidiary of the French supermarket retailer Intermarché, has revealed plans to sell eight of its 55 production plants. Citing non-strategic activities, the group aims to modernize its industrial sector and boost productivity.
The affected plants include the Lyana factories in Maine-et-Loire and Loire-Atlantique, Antartic II in Ardèche, two Capitaine Houat factories in Morbihan and Pas-de-Calais, Capitaine Cook in Finistère, Le Fournil du Val de Loire in Indre-et-Loire, and Vertueux in Oise. The company intends to sell these units within the next few months or years, contingent upon buyers with a proven capacity to invest and create jobs.
Officials at the Le Fournil factory, represented by the Delegated Force Ouvrière (FO) union, express concerns about job preservation. management has granted potential buyers between 12 to 30 months to find suitable owners while prioritizing the retention of existing jobs.
The union representative at Le Fournil factory, Christophe Barbeau, criticized the company's perceived inconsistency in investing in assets like Casino stores while divesting production units. The Intermarché group has recently acquired 294 stores from Casino, including 30 planned closures, and announced intentions to strengthen its own-brand products through a €250 million investment program over five years.
Sources suggest that the group is seeking to refocus on raw and little-processed products, such as milk, vegetables, and meat. The proposed divestment is part of the strategy announced by Thierry Cotillard last June, centered on recentering Intermarché's investments.
It is essential to note that the sale of production plants can result in job losses due to restructuring, although potential job creation may also occur if new owners invest in new technologies. Official announcements or statements from the company will provide more specific insight into the planned divestment's impact on employment.
- In an effort to refocus on raw and little-processed products like milk, vegetables, and meat, Intermarché Agromousquetaires aims to sell its non-strategic production plants, including Le Fournil du Val de Loire, as part of a greater strategy to modernize its industrial sector and finance business growth.
- As the union Delegated Force Ouvrière (FO) at the Le Fournil factory has expressed concerns about job preservation, potential buyers are granted a period of 12 to 30 months to find suitable owners while prioritizing the retention of existing jobs, with the intention to invest in new technologies in the finance industry to create jobs in the future.
