Major consolidation has taken place in France’s beef cuts market with Bigard, in association with the Alliance co-operative group, buying Vital, the holding company controlling packaged steaks specialist Charal.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Brittany-based family firm Bigard currently has a 49% shareholding in Vital and is planning to take full control by the start of next year.


The deal will lead to the creation of a French leader in the sector, representing a turnover of between EUR2.3bn and EUR2.8bn and employing up to 10,500 staff – surpassing the previous No.1, co-operative Socopa.


One analyst said the takeover could re-launch alliance talks between Socopa and another large co-op in the sector, Terrena Viande.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact