French agricultural cooperative InVivo’s retail division is in exclusive talks over a potential alliance with gardening retailer Jardiland, the companies said on Thursday 26 October.
The alliance would create a major force in the gardening and pet shop sector, in which Jardiland and InVivo’s Gamm vert and Delbard chains would continue to operate independently, they said in a statement.
They gave no financial details and spokespeople for the two companies declined further comment.
InVivo is a grouping of some 220 farmer-owned cooperatives and had sales of €5.5 billion ($6.4 billion) in its 2016-17 fiscal year.
The group’s activities span agricultural supplies, animal nutrition, grain trading and retail.
Its Gamm vert gardening chain is the largest in France with 1.004 shops and turnover of €1.3 billion, it said.
Its smaller Delbard chain has 183 gardening outlets and generates 218 million euros in sales.
Jardiland, privately owned by investment fund L-GAM, has 189 stores and turnover of €730 million.
