Sofiprotéol becomes Avril

In 2015, the Group adopted a new governance and a new organization to ensure its lasting independence and to reinforce the presence of the farming world at the heart of its growth strategy. The Group now became structured around its two activities: on the one hand, a manufacturer, on the other, an investor.

To mark the occasion, it became Avril. With this name evocative of spring, the period in which rapeseed flowers, the Group expresses its mission: create sustainable value in the oils and proteins sector to contribute to better food for humans and protection of the planet. In 2022, Avril announces the passing of its co-founder Philippe Tillous-Borde.

In 2016, the Group launched the “Avril 2020” strategic plan, which guides the development of its activities in France and abroad.
In 2019, another farmer, Arnaud Rousseau, succeeds Xavier Beulin as Chairman of Avril Gestion.
Avril continues to expand internationally. In Africa, it entrusts Lesieur Cristal, its Moroccan subsidiary, with the development of its FMCG activities on the African continent. Oleon takes significant steps in its expansion with the acquisition of a plant in Conroe, Texas, to extend its presence in America, and a plot of land in Port Klang, Malaysia, for future expansion.
Avril’s ambition is to become the leader in plant-based solutions.

In 2018, forward-looking work was carried out in each of the Group’s activities to look to the future and identify priorities. The result was the “Avril 2023” strategic plan. It follows on from and continues the previous plan: development of specialties and innovation, continuation of the Group’s consolidation and transformation, conquering new markets and geographic regions.

The main new feature is the definition of a CSR framework, called SPRING, integrated into the Group’s strategic and financial management. It confirms Avril’s sustainable development commitments. This CSR frame also completed the Group’s membership, in 2017, of the United Nations Global Compact.

Avril pursues its innovation policy by securing a €50M loan from the European Investment Bank in 2021 to finance research into plant protein and bio-based materials. In 2022, Avril will raise €1.18 billion to accelerate its development.

Avril relies on two complementary businesses: that of a manufacturer organized around four business areas and an incubator, and that of an investor.

The Group is continuing its trajectory of innovation, particularly in biofuels. In 2018, it launched Oleo100, the first 100% plant-based fuel. Produced from rapeseed, this provides a response to the energy transition challenge for road transport and for territorial collectivities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60%.

Avril develops solutions for sustainable mobility, offering applications for the river, rail and air sectors. Since 2021, Compagnie Fluviale de Transport has been using Oleo100, as have the trains on the Paris-Granville line.

At the same time, since 2010, Avril has been participating in the development of “second-generation” advanced biofuels, derived from biomass and composed of agricultural and forestry residues, with the BioTfuel project, ready for wider deployment, notably in the aeronautical sector.

Between 2015 and 2019, Avril expands its plant-based chemistry activities with the acquisitions of The Kerfoot Group, Novastell, and Lecico, companies specializing in oils, lecithins and phospholipids.

Evertree was created in 2016 to develop, produce and market plant-based adhesive solutions. Thanks to its resins derived from renewable and local resources, it contributes to the manufacture of more sustainable materials, for less toxic and more environmentally friendly furniture.

Avril innovates and makes acquisitions to complete its offer to farmers and breeders. In 2016, the Group acquired the Brazilian animal nutrition company Salus and Ewabo, a German leader in biosafety. 

In 2017 Avril created Sojalim, a facility for crushing French soybeans to reinforce its production capacity for the animal sector. The Group thus set up a local, traced and non-GMO alternative to imported soya, mainly from Brazil.

In 2019, Avril and Suez join forces to create Terrial, France’s market leader in organic fertilizers and soil improvers. In 2020, subsidiary Saipol launches OleoZE, a digital solution enabling farmers to add value to their seeds from sustainable practices and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The year 2022 was marked by the acquisition of Amendis, expanding the range of organic and mineral fertilizers, and of Solteam, one of France’s leading importers of non-GMO soybean meal, traced and guaranteed “zero deforestation”.

The period was marked by continued international development for the human food business. This is particularly true in Africa, and more specifically in Tunisia, where a rapeseed chain was set up in 2016, covering all links in the value chain, from the field to the oil bottle, including rapeseed meal for animal feed.

With regard to mass-market products, in 2015 the Group became a majority shareholder in Société de Production des Huiles de Bourbon (SPHB). In 2018, Avril also acquired Costa d’Oro, Italy’s leading producer and distributor of premium olive oil in Italy and worldwide. In 2022, the Group will pursue its growth with the acquisitions of Eccellenza Italiana and its Italians Do It Better brand, Vegini and Vivien Paille.

In 2020, with the support of the SPI fund managed by Bpifrance, Avril and the Dutch group DSM finalized their partnership agreement and launched an ambitious industrial project in France to produce and market rapeseed protein isolate for human consumption with Olatein – Prolein.

In 2016, Avril launched the Sofiprotéol Dette Privée fund for agribusiness & agri-food industries, managed by Tikehau IM. It represents a complementary financing tool to those already available to Sofiprotéol, Avril’s investment and development subsidiary.

In 2021, Sofiprotéol reached a new level of growth, with investments of nearly €70M in three major areas of activity: upstream vegetable and animal activities – marketing, primary processing and ingredients – downstream vegetable and animal activities. In 2022, the €145M capital increase will consolidate the company’s financial fundamentals and provide it with extended resources. After investing €60M in 2022, the Group will invest nearly €100M in 2023, with a dozen operations targeting companies of all sizes, and a wide variety of projects.

At the same time, in 2022, Avril is raising €1.18B indexed to ESG criteria to support its growth. This financing will provide additional leverage to achieve the commitments made as part of its raison d’être: Serving the Earth.

The Group still has the unique economic model that has been its strength since its creation through redistributing value for the benefit of the sector. Through its activities, Avril contributes to the growth of a sustainable, innovative and future-focused oil and protein sector, upstream to downstream.

On May 10, 2021, Avril revealed its purpose: “Serving the Earth”. As an extension of the Group’s historic mission, this purpose takes the shape of six commitments which help to meet two major challenges: climate change and population growth.

Faced with these challenges, it is more important than ever for Avril to play a role in supporting the agricultural, food and environmental transitions. Building on its experience and presence in the markets of the future, the Group is making a strategic shift with the aim to become the leader in plant processing solutions for human food and animal nutrition and to protect the planet.