
The European Commission has sent the proposed joint venture between frozen veg suppliers Greenyard and Eureden to France’s competition watchdog, the Autorité de la Concurrence.
In a statement, the Commission said the French regulator is “best placed” to examine the deal given the transaction’s possible impact on the French market.
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In March, Belgium-headquartered Greenyard announced it was looking to buy a majority shareholding in fellow frozen vegetables group Gelagri Bretagne in France.
Brittany-based Gelagri Bretagne, which is owned by the Eureden agri-food cooperative, also produces ready meals, soups and purées.
Greenyard operates two factories in France for its frozen foods division in Moréac, in the Morbihan department of Brittany.
EU law states the Commission can refer the review of a transaction to a national authority when a deal “may significantly affect competition in a market within a member state which presents all the characteristics of a distinct market”.

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By GlobalDataThe French authority said it will start the investigation once it receives a “complete notification file”.
According to the Autorité de la Concurrence, if a transaction does not pose any major competition issues, the watchdog can clear the transaction unconditionally – or subject to conditions – at the end of a “rapid review”, which takes a maximum of 25 working days.
If doubts remain as to the potential risks to competition after the first review, the Autorité de la Concurrence opens an in-depth examination, which takes a further 65 working days.
Greenyard and Eureden have signed a letter of intent and said in March the partnership could be finalised before the end of the year, subject to regulatory approval.
Meanwhile, Greenyard’s frozen foods division operates two factories in France, in Moréac (Morbihan) and Comines (Nord), a spokesperson told Just Food in March.
A Greenyard spokesperson told Just Food in March that 500 Gelagri Bretagne employees are included in the proposed deal.