Tönnies, the Germany-based meat processor, and French agrifood business The Avril Group are to set up a plant in north-west France through their new venture.

The companies plan to open a plant manufacturing processed pork products for supermarket customers in April.

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The venture, first announced in October, still has to be approved by competition officials. However, the two sides have disclosed they would locate the site in the town of Vire. Some 60 jobs would be created by the end of the year, a spokesperson for Avril said today (26 January).

The name of the venture has also been announced. The business will be called L’Atelier des Viandes de France.

When the venture was announced last year, the two sides said they wanted to “reconquer” the French market for processed products amid a growing deficit in the country’s trade balance in pork.

“French consumers today are looking for suppliers that can offer 100% French products, with irreproachable traceability and quality. This is a positive trend for our livestock industry, on condition that we know how to respond through our practical actions. That is the reason for this strategic partnership, which will see a German leader in its sector choosing to ally its forces with a high-performance French partner so that its products will contain high-quality French pork,” Avril CEO Jean-Philippe Puig said at the time.

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