A new general manager, the third in nearly 60 years, will soon take the head of the Even food cooperative company which generates more than 2 billion euros in turnover annually, announced the Breton group on Friday.
Christian Griner will succeed Christian Couilleau on October 2, who had been managing director since 1993, Even said in a press release.
Their predecessor, François Dubois, had also led the group for almost 30 years, between 1964 and 1993.
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Christian Griner, 58, will keep his cap as CEO of Laïta, the dairy subsidiary created in 2009 from the regrouping of the dairy activities of the Even, Terrena and Triskalia cooperatives (Paysan Breton, Régilait and Mamie Nova brands), specifies the group.
The succession of Christian Couilleau has been prepared for more than a year at his request, it is reported.
He “
will remain in the house for another year, with the title of former director general
” and will “be
in charge of certain specific files and external representations
”.
In 30 years, it is stressed, “
the group has developed its annual business volume (from 500 million euros to 2.3 billion euros), employment (from 2,000 employees to nearly 6,500 jobs at full time) and responsible milk (from 280 million liters to 1500 million liters)
”.
The cooperative expects the new CEO to work to "
ensure a powerful post-Covid rebound
" and to respond, "
in the longer term
", to "
new challenges for agriculture and food of tomorrow
".
The cooperative group (1260 member farmers) has been chaired since 2007 by Guy Le Bars, its fifth president since 1930.
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Founded by Finistère breeders in order to better promote their milk production, the cooperative has gradually expanded its areas of activity, particularly through acquisitions: it works in the supply of services and equipment to farmers, animal nutrition, food distribution with in particular the frozen home delivery brand Argel or the manufacture of ready meals or cured hams.
The group claims nearly 100 subsidiaries in France and abroad, and customers in more than 110 countries.