The partnership will combine selected activities in the production and marketing of frozen vegetables and frozen vegetable-based ready meals France’s competition regulator, the Autorité de la concurrence, has unconditionally approved…

The partnership will combine selected activities in the production and marketing of frozen vegetables and frozen vegetable-based ready meals

France’s competition regulator, the Autorité de la concurrence, has unconditionally approved two major transactions in the agricultural and food sector: the creation of a joint venture between Greenyard and Eureden, and the merger of agricultural cooperatives Terres du Sud and Vivadour.

The first transaction concerns the establishment of a joint venture between Belgian fresh and frozen food group Greenyard and French cooperative group Eureden. The partnership will combine selected activities in the production and marketing of frozen vegetables and frozen vegetable-based ready meals.

The transaction was formally notified to the Autorité on 9 December 2025, following a decision by the European Commission to refer the case to the French competition authority.

The second transaction involves the merger of Terres du Sud and Vivadour, two major French agricultural cooperatives, notified on 16 December 2025.

In two decisions issued today, the Autorité de la concurrence approved both operations without imposing any conditions. The authority concluded that neither transaction would reduce market access for farmers nor lead to higher prices for French customers and consumers.

The regulator highlighted that the decisions were delivered in less than six weeks after notification, reflecting close and continuous dialogue between the companies, their legal advisers and the Mergers Unit during the pre-notification phase. This early engagement enabled potential competitive effects to be assessed before the formal filings.

With these rulings, the Autorité reaffirmed its pragmatic approach to merger control in the agricultural sector. The authority said its strategy aims to support value creation upstream in the supply chain while safeguarding competition and preventing price increases for French consumers.

The approvals are expected to facilitate consolidation and cooperation in the sector, while maintaining competitive market conditions across France’s agricultural and food industries.