Serving the Earth, from purpose to reason for action : sustainable food and low-carbon energies

At Avril, we are committed every day to producing quality food and biofuels that respect the planet, while ensuring outlets for French oilseed and protein crops.

Over the past 40 years, Avril has demonstrated its ability to offer structuring solutions for the agricultural world, by developing the French oilseed and protein crop sectors, with rapeseed and sunflower at the forefront. This need first became apparent in France with the 1973 US embargo on soybean exports, which jeopardized the country’s food sovereignty, particularly in view of the dependence of livestock farms on imported animal feed. The Group was founded in 1983 on the initiative of the farming community in the wake of this embargo.

Today, France benefits from a solid industry capable of meeting 100% of its citizens’ edible oil needs and 55% of its livestock farms’ oilcake requirements, while devoting 1.38% of its net usable agricultural area to biofuels.

Avril plays its full part in this balance, by innovating both in the development of plant-based food for populations and in solutions for low-carbon transport.

As we know, plant proteins are now a necessary complement to animal proteins to meet the needs of a growing population, consumer expectations and environmental challenges.

This is why Avril has been committed for ten years to accelerating outlets for plant proteins, for example in the development of ingredients for human consumption, in addition to the production of edible oils and a new range of gourmet recipes. In 2023, we accelerated our development in these markets, notably through the acquisition of two innovative companies, Sunbloom Proteins and HARi&CO.

With Sunbloom Proteins, Avril has become the first industrial player to produce and market high-quality protein concentrates from non-allergenic, non-GMO sunflower seeds for use in ready-to-eat dishes, beverages, plant-based desserts, bakery products, etc. With HARI&CO, we offer ready-to-eat plant-based products, and our long-standing Lesieur brand is also offering a new plant-based core meal with MA POPOTE!

A pioneer in biofuels, Avril produces a biofuel from 100% French rapeseed, which reduces CO2 emissions by at least 60% compared with diesel. In the fight against climate change, this is a strong commitment by the Group to support the environmental transition.

By 2023, 14,000 trucks will be filling up daily with our Oleo100 biofuel from Saipol. We have also drawn up a positive report on 18 months’ use of Oleo100 on the 15 trains on the Regiolis Paris-Granville line. The result: 11,000 tons of CO2 avoided for 3.5 million kilometers traveled.

Avril is also contributing to France’s roadmap for sustainable aviation fuels (CAD), which aims to incorporate 6% CAD into aviation fuels by 2030. To prepare for the future, the Group is committed to structuring intermediate crops such as camelina, which do not compete with food crops, as they are grown between two main crops.

Oilseed and protein crops offer a solution that meets both the changing needs of food and the challenges of decarbonizing transport.

Find out more in our latest integrated report.