After the successful implementation of a new revolving credit facility arranged by Crédit Agricole Nord de France in July 2012, the Bonduelle Group launched the first private placement issued in bond format on the European market for an unrated medium-sized French company on 10 September 2012. This inaugural EUR 145 million bond issue, with a 6.5 year maturity (March 2019), marks a major step in the emergence of a new European private placement market, along the lines of the US private placement market. This new market will enable medium-sized companies to obtain financing on the European capital markets, without the large size and credit rating constraints required to access the public bond market.

The transaction, which was initially issued for EUR 100 million with the participation of Credit Agricole Assurances as a lead investor, was subsequently increased to EUR 145 million on the back of strong European institutional investor demand.