The French giant Lactalis reached 20 billion euros in turnover during its 2019 financial year and will invest 200 million euros " every year " in its 70 French sites, announces its CEO Emmanuel Besnier in an interview at Sunday newspaper.
Read also: The French plebiscite their farmers
“ Our activity has developed well, with growth of 8%. We are reaching 20 billion euros in turnover for the first time, a target we had set for 2020 ", says the president of the world number one in dairy products, who had raked in 18.5 billion euros during from the previous year.
" Several acquisitions enabled us to grow faster in 2019. We are now number one in dairy products in Brazil and the leader in organic yogurt in the United States, " adds Emmanuel Besnier.
15,000 employees in France
Until then very discreet on its results, the group had unveiled in February 2019 a decline in its net profit in 2017, to 387 million euros, against 406 million a year earlier, two years clouded by the scandal of contaminated milk in salmonella produced at its Craon plant in Mayenne.
France remains the heart of the Mayennaise family business, " with 15,000 employees and 20% of our business, " says the CEO. In France, “ we maintain a very strong anchoring. Two hundred million euros are invested each year in our 70 sites, much more than in other countries, to modernize and develop our tools. More than 50% of what we produce in France is exported, ”he explains.
Read also: Suicide of farmers: a mission entrusted to an LREM MP
