Carrefour will acquire French company Codifrance from Belgium's Colruyt Group for 152 million euros. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to approval by the French competition authority and the fulfillment of other customary closing conditions. Colruyt Group also said that consultation with employee representatives is necessary.
Codifrance supplies around 3,100 customers in France with dry food, fresh and frozen products. The company has around 380 employees and operates three distribution centers. For the financial year 2025/2026, it reported sales of 307 million euros.
Network of neighborhood stores
Codifrance's customers include more than 800 affiliated stores under the Panier Sympa, Épi Service and VivÉco brands, as well as sites operating under the Coccinelle and Coccimarket licenses. Another 2,200 or so independent retailers also receive supplies from the company. The stores are located in approximately three-quarters of France.
Stephane Gotthardt, CEO of Colruyt Group, said that Codifrance “has become an established distributor for neighborhood stores in France“. He said the French retail market is changing rapidly and continues to consolidate, and the sale would allow Codifrance to develop its potential in an environment more suited to the market and its ambitions.
Carrefour expands its business in retail close to home
Carrefour said the acquisition is part of its Carrefour 2030 strategy and will expand its presence in retail close to home. The French group already supports independent retailers through the Carrefour Proximité network, in which the Proxi brand has over 1,500 stores.
The company said Codifrance would complement its business with its customer base, logistics infrastructure and teams. Until the transaction is completed, Codifrance remains owned by Colruyt Group, and the final transfer is subject to regulatory procedures and other conditions of the agreement.