DLF divests its shareholding in Danespo to Florimond Desprez
DLF has entered into an agreement with the French company Groupe Florimond Desprez (GFD) to transfer its shareholding in the seed potato business, Danespo A/S. The agreement takes immediate effect and marks a natural step in DLF’s strategic direction towards a stronger focus on the group’s core business.
DLF has been a co-owner of Danespo since 1996. In 2016, Groupe Florimond Desprez acquired 49% of the shares. With the new agreement, GFD now holds 98% ownership of Danespo.
"The divestment is a natural continuation of our group strategy “Connecting to Grow”, where we concentrate our business activities around plant breeding and the development of forage and turf seed, as well as vegetable seed multiplication," says Søren Halbye, CEO of DLF.
"We have enjoyed a good and constructive collaboration with GFD regarding Danespo, and we are proud of the company’s development. With GFD’s strong strategic focus on potatoes, we are confident that they are the right owners to take Danespo forward."
Florimond Desprez, Head of GFD Seed Potato Business Unit, comments:
"We would like to thank DLF for our very constructive collaboration over the years and for their strong commitment to Danespo. A visible outcome of this partnership is the new headquarters and breeding facility in Give, established in 2019.
The collaboration in Danespo laid the foundation for a strong partnership between GFD and DLF, which is also reflected in the creation of United Beet Seeds. DLF’s exit allows both parties to focus on their respective strategic priorities while simplifying the integration of Danespo into GFD’s potato business and the wider group."