French agri-food group Avril has acquired a majority stake in HARi&CO, a company that makes plant-based ready meals and catering products from legumes.
The acquisition will help HARi&CO accelerate its business and allow Avril to strengthen its position in the market by expanding its food offer in the plant protein segment, the company added.
Jean-Philippe Puig, CEO of Avril stated, "This project is fully in line with our strategy. Following the acquisition of Vivien Paille last year, we are pursuing the development of French sectors and the promotion of legumes, from the farm to the table.
"In this way, we contribute to a local, healthy, and sustainable diet in line with our commitments and our purpose: Serving the Earth."
HARi&CO
Founded in 2014 by two agricultural engineers, Emmanuel Brehier and Benoît Plisson, HARi&CO aims to democratise plant-based cuisine with gourmet, colourful and healthy recipes.
Therefore, it focuses on legumes and brings them up to date with a range of 100% plant-based products.
With more than 35 employees, the company is present in the mass distribution sector and offers its products in more than 5,000 stores and in collective and commercial catering.
The products are made in France from local production units, and are minimally processed, natural, and without additives.
'Common Commitments With Avril'
“We are very enthusiastic about this new step taken by HARi&CO. We share common commitments with Avril, which will allow us to develop HARi&CO while remaining true to our values," added Brehier and Plisson, the directors and founders of HARi&CO.
"This operation is a real boost to our ambition to become the key player in plant-based cuisine. We are more than ever invested in this new stage of our entrepreneurial adventure, which promises to be exciting!"
