De Pardieu Brocas Maffei has advised METabolic EXplorer (METEX), leader in industrial fermentation for the production of natural ingredients intended for the animal nutrition, cosmetics and biopolymer markets, on the takeover of METEX NØØVISTAGO and part of the commercial and R&D activities of METabolic Explorer by Avril.
Avril, the 5th largest agri-food group in France, is the industrial and financial leader in the French vegetable oil and protein sector. This decision was handed down by the Paris Commercial Court on 12 July 2024.
For this takeover project, the Avril group joined forces with the investment fund SPI (Société de projets industriels), managed by BPI France.
The transaction will maintain 315 employees (275 out of 282 for METEX Noovistago and 40 out of 79 for METabolic Explorer), i.e., almost 90% of the workforce. It is in line with Avril’s plan and permits to preserve the national industrial structure, while maintaining a production base in Europe that is essential to the sovereignty of the French and European animal feed industries, thanks to the revitalization of lysine production and the development of other amino acids.