The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided a €70 million loan to Sodiaal, France’s largest dairy cooperative and the third largest in Europe, to fund its research, development, and innovation from 2025 to 2028. Sodiaal, with over 8,000-member dairy farms and more than 14,500 member farmers, owns brands like Yoplait, Candia, and Entremont, producing drinking milk, cheeses, butters, yogurts, infant dairy products, and dairy ingredients.
This loan supports the EIB’s expansion in agriculture, bioeconomy, and innovation through its TechEU programme, which aims to boost research, digital transformation, and new practices to enhance European competitiveness and reduce environmental impact. It is backed by the European Union’s InvestEU programme, fostering innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle highlighted the importance of innovation to tackle international competition and make investments in new agricultural practices to reduce CO₂ emissions and promote energy transition in the dairy sector.
Sodiaal Cooperative Chairman Jean-Michel Javelle emphasized the sector’s transitions and the responsibility to ensure competitive and sustainable production, expressing gratitude for the EIB’s support for French agriculture.
Managing Director Antoine Collette stressed the importance of innovation in reducing carbon, plastic use, and water consumption, aligning profitability with sustainability. European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen highlighted the need for innovation in policy-making to support the agri-food sector’s growth.
This is the EIB’s second financing to Sodiaal, following an initial €40 million loan in 2018, reinforcing their partnership to promote innovation and environmental sustainability while maintaining economic stability.
Background Information
EIB: The European Investment Bank finances projects supporting EU policy objectives, including climate action, digital innovation, and agriculture. In 2024, it signed nearly €89 billion in financing, with about 60% supporting climate and environmental projects.
Sodiaal: As France’s largest dairy cooperative, Sodiaal consists of 14,500 farmers producing and processing dairy products with a focus on fair income, generational renewal, and the green transition.
InvestEU: The programme supports the EU’s policy priorities by leveraging private and public funds for sustainable recovery, integrating various financial instruments to simplify funding for investment projects, and providing a budget guarantee to mobilize additional investment.
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