Vegetable specialist Bonduelle wants to sell its bagged salads in France and Germany

The group says it wants to focus on its fresh catering offerings. Bonduelle announced on Thursday, August 29, that it wanted to sell its loss-making bagged salad business in France and Germany. The French specialist in processed vegetables informed its employees of its plans to close the Saint-Mihiel (Meuse) site, which employs 159 people.

“He is first looking for a buyer”And “in parallel, initiates a social dialogue to support each individual”the group’s communications director, Céline Barral, told AFP.

“Around forty employees” are also affected by a voluntary departure plan at the headquarters of Bonduelle Frais, which includes the bagged salad and catering activities, a segment that is booming according to the company. Bonduelle entities in the United States and Italy are spared from these projects.

Sales of Bonduelle’s bagged salads, launched in 1997, have been in decline for years, with an estimated 15% drop over the past seven years, according to group figures. “Before, salad was eaten as a starter, today, we eat differently. There is also the factor of inflation and purchasing power which affects this sector, and finally, the exacerbated competition from distributor brands”explained Céline Barral.