A chicken raised by an employee of the sweet poultry farmer. Here during a demonstration in front of the Quimper court in 2012. - Fred Tanneau / AFP

The frozen chicken got cold this Friday. The sweet poultry group was condemned by the Nantes administrative court of appeal to reimburse nearly 80 million euros of European export aid unduly received. Placed in compulsory liquidation, the Breton food group had been bought by a consortium in 2018.

According to the court, the poultry farmer will have to repay the aid unduly received between 2010 and 2013 for its export operations of frozen chickens. The group received 400 euros per tonne of frozen chickens exported. A boon for the then European first exporter, most of whose production was shipped to the Middle East.

"Respect the same rules"

The business held up well until 2012 and 2013, when customs services revealed the excessive water content of the Doux chickens. "Exports from the European Union of frozen chickens must, in order to be eligible for export refunds, comply with the same water content rules, that is, of fair, fair and marketable quality, as those required for sales in the territory of the European Union ”, writes the court in its press release. "Everyone lowered their heads, without wanting to look," denounced union leader Nadine Hourmant.

The Doux group accused in 2017 of a loss of 36 million euros for a turnover of 290 million euros. The Breton poultry farmer, who produced four chickens per second and 22,000 eggs per hour, has hardly ever made any money since its creation in 1955, if we exclude the European export subsidies it received until 2013. Placed in compulsory liquidation, it was taken over in 2018 by a consortium led by the leader of poultry LDC, with the Terrena cooperative and the Saudi Al-Munajem.

Economy

Brittany: Why did poultry put water in its frozen chickens?

Economy

What can we expect from the help for hiring young people announced by the executive?

  • Reindeer
  • Economy
  • Nantes
  • Fraud
  • Justice
  • Employment
  • Europe
  • Hen
  • Poultry
  • Judicial liquidation
  • Subsidies