In a global seafood market growing at 5% per year, the group wanted to rely on a leading financial partner to support the next stages of its development. It welcomes Hivest Capital into its shareholder base.
The Reunion fleet includes a 68 m toothfish fishing boat and 15 boats from 13 to 25 m. Réunimer also operates 15 boats of less than 12 m in several ports in Madagascar.
It is in this spirit that Hivest Capital, independent European private equity company approved by the Financial Markets Authority, entered the group, the current management team remaining both shareholders and at the head of the company. Hivest Capital invests in transmission or capital of SMEs and ETIs with a turnover of between 50 million and 500 million euros.. “We wanted our new partner to support our development while also being in line with our objective of creating value locally and acting as a responsible player in the fishing industry., committed to an ecological approach at sea and on land. It is on these criteria that we chose Hivest Capital and we are delighted to begin this new stage together.", says Sébastien Camus, president of the Réunier group.
A constantly growing turnover
Born in 1996, the Réunimer group has grown rapidly. Positioned across the entire value chain with fishing activities, d’aquaculture, first and second transformation, it sought to complete its offering by importing selected seafood products from around the world. So, the group has a wide range of products (toothfish, poulpe, shrimp, pelagic and bottom fish, crustaceans…), sold in different forms (brut, cut out, frozen, costs, transformed). Its customers are distributed in a balanced manner between the GMS, out-of-home catering, industrialists, wholesalers as well as local authorities. Its consolidated turnover (70 million euros) has been growing steadily in recent years. The Réunimer group is strongly committed to responsible and sustainable exploitation of seafood, having obtained the demanding MSC certification. (Marine Stewardship Council) and the State Sustainable Fishing eco-label, guarantors of reasoned activity, and also by establishing numerous partnerships with NGOs, universities, scientific organizations and local associations.
An external growth objective
The group contacted its historic Reunion banks to finance part of this operation. But he was looking for a partner who could provide all the resources he would need to accelerate his development., particularly in its corporate social responsibility policy (RSE) and the continuous improvement of its environmental commitments, social and governance (ESG). Its objective is to develop the group's position in its historic markets and internationally., in particular by carrying out external growth operations. “The group remains committed to its approach of supporting Reunion Island artisanal fishing and the issues of cohesion that it brings to the sector and to which it remains sensitive. It remains part of a strong recruitment dynamic in Reunion and value creation in this territory, where its head office remains”, underlines Reunite.
