January 29, 2014

Marine Harvest sells VAP plant to Laurent Mauray

Marine Harvest's French value-added processing (VAP) plant Rolmer, which had revenues of €9.2 million (US$12.6 million) last year, has been sold, to Laurent Mauray.

Marine Harvest VAP Europe confirmed the information but declined to reveal the amount of the transaction. The company had announced in June last year that it would sell Rolmer as part of its plans to restructure its French seafood processing and salmon smoking activities.

Based in Challans, in the Vendee department on the western coast of France, Rolmer specialises in particular on value-added processing of fresh seafood such as carpaccios, jars or tartares.

Mauray has over 20 years of experience in the food sector. Fabrice Tessier will remain director of the site and the plant will keep its name. The aim is to further develop the plant, first by creating new products and reinforcing research and development and investments, said Mauray. This will go hand in hand with commercial development to extend its reach.

Rolmer produces around 700 tonnes of finished products per year and is focused on the retail segment. It made a profit of nearly €208,000 (US$284,000) on sales of €8.58 million (US$11.7 million) in 2012, roughly on par with 2011 and 2010, according to company registry information. However, the same information shows its profit in 2009 was more than twice as high, on roughly the same turnover.