A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Hendrix Genetics and
Groupe Glon to acquire France Hybrides from Groupe Glon. Completion of the deal is expected in the first half of 2008 and is subject to various customary conditions as due diligence, necessary consents, including workers council, board of directors, shareholders and to the extent applicable, any other applicable approvals.
France Hybrides, a famous swine genetics company, will become legally part of Hendrix Genetics s.a.s and will be integrated in it’s swine genetics division Hypor.
Groupe Glon will keep, as it is done presently, the diffusion of France Hybrides in France (swine breeding and artificial insemination) through its network Sanders.
Simultaneously, parties started to investigate a strategic long term minority shareholding by Sofiprotéol (majority shareholder of Groupe Glon) in the capital of Hendrix Genetics B.V.

France Hybrides
France Hybrides, is the leading privately held swine genetics company in France. It was founded in 1968 as the “Genetic Improvement Department” of Sanders, and is frontrunner in developing swine breeding stock and technical expertise for the pork meat industry. It’s genetic program was approved by the Agricultural Department in 1969. It Became France Hybrides in 1972. The company, with about 77 employees, has it’s headquarters in Chateauneuf-sur-Loire, near Orléans, and with Pure Line farms throughout France. The company serves the world’s pork industry in more than 30 countries out of it’s own operations in France, Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine. The activities of France Hybrides in Vietnam are not included in this deal.
www.france-hybrides.com

Groupe Glon
Groupe Glon, who was advised in this deal by Philippe Delecourt (Linkers, member of M&A Europe), is headquarterd in Saint-Gérand, Brittany. Its activities are animal nutrition, agricultural supplies, genetics and animal health, food industry, services and expertise, with 3,700 employees
and revenues (2006) of € 1,235M. It is owned by Glon Family (35%), Management (5%) and Sofiprotéol (60%). www.groupe-glon.com

Sofiprotéol
Sofiprotéol is headquarted in Paris and was established in 1983, as the financial firm in France’s vegetable oil and plant-proteins sector. It supports the development and use of oilseed and protein-rich crops by providing appropriate financial and productive resources. Sofiprotéol is
strongly involved in plant genetics through several minority investments. Since mid 2007 it is a 60% shareholder in Groupe Glon. Through it majority participations in oilseed crushing and transformations (Lesieur, Saipol, Diester Industrie) and in animal feed and health (Groupe Glon).
Sofiprotéol realizes more than 4 billion euro’s revenues, with more than 5,000 employees. www.prolea.com

Hendrix Genetics B.V.
Hendrix Genetics, headquartered in Villa “de Körver”, Boxmeer, the Netherlands, is a multi species breeding company, with 5 divisions: layer breeding (Institut de Sélection Animale: ISA, SHAVER, BABCOCK, WARREN, BOVANS, HISEX, DEKALB), broiler breeding (HYBRO and PILCH), pig breeding (HYPOR and GENEX), turkey breeding (HYBRID and ORLOPP) and poultry distribution (SFPA). In line with its early 2005 formulated strategy it will focus on growth
and consolidation opportunities in animal breeding and life sciences. Hendrix Genetics serves the global poultry and pork industry with wholly owned operations and joint ventures across the world in 23 countries with about 1,500 employees. www.hendrix-genetics.com