The Nogentais Financial : The Soufflet family’s investment arm is reinventing itself
A family holding company with an impressive capital of €277 million
Based in Gouvieux, Oise, Financière du Nogentais (FDNGT) continues its transformation into a leading investment company following the historic sale of the Soufflet Group to InVivo at the end of 2021. With a share capital of €277,582,696.27 and revenue of €49.8 million in 2021, this simplified joint-stock company now represents the Soufflet family’s preferred vehicle for its asset investments.
Founded in 1986 and led by Jean-Michel Soufflet, former Chairman of the Board of the family agri-food group, Financière du Nogentais has taken on a new dimension since the sale of the family’s flagship company. This sale, finalized in November 2021 for €2.2 billion, allowed the family to turn a page on 120 years of industrial history while equipping itself with considerable resources to reinvent itself.
An investment strategy focused on real estate and the ecological transition
The investment company quickly demonstrated its ability to position itself for large-scale transactions. In July 2022, it made a significant impact by investing €30 million in the REALITES group, a regional developer listed on Euronext Growth. This significant stake, made as part of a €35 million capital increase, demonstrates the new strategic direction of the family holding company.
“We are very pleased to partner with the founders and managers of Réalités, whose values and strategic vision we share,” Jean-Michel Soufflet said at the time. Financière du Nogentais was particularly impressed by the real estate group’s commitments to the ecological transition, notably its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.
This transaction allowed Pascal Maire, representing Financière du Nogentais, to join the REALITES Board of Directors, thus highlighting the Soufflet family’s active involvement in the governance of its investments.
A Successful Transition Following the Sale of the Soufflet Group
The sale of the Soufflet Group to InVivo represented much more than a simple financial transaction. For Jean-Michel Soufflet, it was “a relief and a heartbreak at the same time,” as he said when the sale was announced. The family group, which employed nearly 7,000 people in 19 countries and generated revenue of €4.4 billion, had become the leading private grain collector in Europe.
The sale gave rise to a European agri-food giant with revenue of nearly €10 billion. For the Soufflet family, it above all allowed them to crystallize the value created over several generations and to acquire considerable resources to write a new chapter in their entrepreneurial history.
Promising Prospects for the Future
With its €277 million capital and proven investment capacity, Financière du Nogentais has all the assets to become a major player in French private equity. The company, which employs around fifteen people according to the latest available data, prioritizes investments in companies that share its values of innovation, sustainable development, and long-term value creation.
The investment in REALITES perfectly illustrates this philosophy: supporting companies committed to the ecological transition and capable of combining economic performance and social responsibility. The real estate group is targeting revenues exceeding €800 million by 2025 with an operating profit rate of 8%, while maintaining its ambitious environmental commitments.
A Family Heritage Preserved and Enhanced
Financière du Nogentais embodies the continuity of the Soufflet family’s entrepreneurial spirit. Michel Soufflet, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 94, transformed a small grain business bought by his grandmother into an international agri-food empire. His son Jean-Michel is now carrying on this legacy in a different but equally ambitious form.
Located at 6 rue Victor Hugo in Gouvieux, the company maintains its roots in the Oise region while implementing a national investment strategy. With its LEI number (969500MZ8S2UUSLXXH62) and its registration with the Compiègne Trade and Companies Register since 1986, it displays an institutional strength that reassures its partners.
The transformation of Financière du Nogentais from a simple holding company into a truly active investment company marks a new milestone in the history of the Soufflet family. After having built and sold one of the flagships of the French agri-food industry, it has reinvented itself as a savvy investor, capable of identifying and supporting the champions of tomorrow in their development.
Contact
FINANCIERE DU NOGENTAIS
6 rue Victor Hugo, 60500 Gouvieux
Tel: +33 3 65 96 09 76
Email: contact@gestion.finance
Website: https://gestion.finance
