French fruit-based product company Valade Group has revealed local private-equity firm FnB and investor Agro Invest have taken a majority investment in the business.

The management team, led by Janick Belin, will be an investor alongside FnB and Agro Invest while some of the historical shareholders – which had comprised Unexo and BNP Development Credit Agricole Center France – will remain minority backers.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

Founded in 1892, Valade specialises in the manufacture of products such as jams, compotes, coulis and chestnut cream and owns brands such as Valade, Leonce Blanc, Boschetti and Valblan. It services both the retail and foodservice markets.

It has three production units (two in France and one in Italy) and manufactures about 40,000 tonnes of products a year.

Valade said the investment – for an undisclosed amount – should allow it to enter a new phase of development.

Paris-based FnB Private Equity was created in 2017 by a team of investors and entrepreneurs, including former Unilever executives Olivier Marchand and Valérie Lutt. It specialises in investing in businesses in the agri-food industry.

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

Agro Invest, also based in Paris, has a similar investment profile. Its shareholders are major institutions including the bank Credit Agricole.

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