One less.
Of the nine candidates for the takeover of Bio c 'Bon, one has just retired.
Naturalia and the former boss of Monoprix, Bernardo Sanchez Incera, no longer wish to take over the organic brand in receivership, for which they had jointly submitted an offer in mid-September.
The file is too complex, they believe, to be able to be fully examined in the allotted time, that is to say by the deadline for the submission of firm offers, October 13.
All the documents have not yet been brought to the attention of the candidates, and the legal structure of Bio c 'Bon, made up of a myriad of companies with cross-shareholdings, makes certain operational data difficult to read.
“
We were very motivated by this offer
, explains Allon Zeitoun, the director of Naturalia.
We thought we had the most sustainable offer.
But at the end of the due diligence process, we note that gray areas remain and that questions remain unanswered, to the point where we cannot commit
”.
To read also: Bio c 'Bon: 2,800 savers trapped by the bankruptcy of the distributor
The reality of certain commercial leases is not proven, specifies a source familiar with the matter, so that the buyer does not have to date the guarantee that he will indeed become, in the event of a takeover, the owner of certain business assets. .
The links would also remain too important between the future buyer and the parent company of Bio c 'Bon, the company Marne et Finance.
This would remain the principal provider of the buyer, for IT services as for real estate, for example.
An unattractive prospect for Naturalia and her partner Bernardo Sanchez Incera.
Painful choice
The bidding to take over the organic brand has been mounting in recent weeks, as applications to take over the brand have become known.
A large number of distributors have expressed interest in taking over Bio c 'Bon, attracted by the growth prospects of the organic market.
Carrefour, the Zouari, minority shareholders of Picard, Biocoop or even Auchan, have also submitted offers to the commercial court, which they can still improve.
In order to present a more complete offer, Naturalia had joined forces with businessman Bernardo Sanchez Incera, former boss of Monoprix: the first was to take over 28 stores, which would have gone under the Naturalia brand, and the second 57, which would be remained under the Bio c 'Bon brand.
85% of the workforce would have been taken over.
The Zouari and Carrefour were and still do better on the social level.
The Zouari offer proposes to take over 112 out of 119 stores, the warehouse and the head office, or 92% of the staff.
The couple, who own around a hundred Franprix and Monoprix stores, have already recruited a former president of Biocoop, Gilles Piquet-Pellorce, to run Bio c 'Bon.
Critics of the Zouari family stress that they are postponing painful choices, the warehouse and the headquarters being oversized compared to the needs of the sign.
Carrefour would keep 107 stores, but 99% of employees would be taken over or reclassified, assures the distributor.
Carrefour values the brand 40 million euros, well above its competitors.
"
It's huge in view of the potential of the sign
, said a source close to the matter.
I doubt that the others will line up
”.
