La Ceinture Verte

What La Ceinture Verte does

La Ceinture Verte, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Romans-sur-Isère, France, is a cooperative network that removes structural barriers to organic market-gardening installation in peri-urban areas. The core offering addresses the €100,000-150,000 capital and land-access barriers that block new farmers by selling ready-to-operate farm sites — equipped with greenhouses, irrigation systems, cold/warm storage chambers, and agricultural buildings — through regionally-based SCICs (Sociétés Coopératives d'Intérêt Collectif). Farmers join as members paying monthly cotisations of €375-€750 depending on installation year; these fees cover cooperative operations, social-share savings, and amortized loan repayments.

The network has scaled to 12 SCICs across Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Normandie, and Île-de-France, with 18-20 operational farms and a stated target of 30 cooperatives and 300 farms by 2032. A national coordinating entity, Ceinture Verte Groupe (SAS + Association loi 1901), holds 85% of €520,000 in founder-led seed capital and receives a 10% quota-part from each SCIC. Public funding is structurally central: a €6,7M France 2030 'Démonstrateurs territoriaux' award funds the Territoires de maraîchers innovation incubator (testing ~30 innovations across five territories in 2024-2025, with ~15 slated for deployment from 2026), supplemented by FEADER, France Relance, departmental grants, and ~€1M raised from solidarity savings funds and crowdfunded citizen investment in 2024-2025. The organization is also building a digital Exploitation Support Platform with AI-powered economic analysis and sensor-integration features, though this product remains in development with no production deployment evidenced.

Name

La Ceinture Verte

Legal name

La Ceinture Verte

Website

https://laceintureverte.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Ceinture Verte is a French cooperative network (founded 2020) that equips new organic market gardeners with ready-to-operate peri-urban farm sites, removing land-access and capital barriers to farm installation in 12 regional SCICs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural cooperative services

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Greenhouse & Protected Crop Farming (High Tunnels, Greenhouses) (AFAGAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic Herb, Spice & Medicinal/Aromatic Plant Farming (AFAGAKAE), Greenhouse Herb & Microgreens Production (Culinary Herbs, Microgreens) (AFAGAHAC), Plant Propagation & Nursery CEA Equipment (Germination Rooms, Tissue Culture Support) (AFAAAHAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Organic market gardening
• Farm installation support
• Agroecological transition
• Cooperative land access

Headquarters

HQ city

Romans-sur-isère

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Member Cotisations (Membership Fees): Market gardeners pay monthly cotisations (membership fees) to the cooperative: €375/month in year 1, €652.50/month in year 2, and €750/month from year 3 onwards. Of this, €150/month goes toward social shares (parts sociales) as savings. After loan amortization period, cotisations reduce to €300/month HT. These cotisations cover cooperative operating costs and loan repayments.
2. Public Funding and Subsidies: Cooperative receives public funding from local governments (collectivités), European funds (FEADER), and national programs (France Relance). A €200,000 France Relance grant supported initial farm development in Le Havre. Investment subsidies for farm infrastructure typically range from 40% to 60% of total investment costs.
3. Engineering and Support Services: Ceinture Verte Groupe SAS provides engineering services to SCICs including farm installation financing and construction, farmer support, recruitment, and administrative management. A 10% quota-part of farmer cotisations flows to the SAS to finance national deployment, R&D, and operating expenses.
4. Citizen Investment Capital: The cooperatives raise equity capital from citizen investors (investisseurs solidaires) who become associated members. Investment thresholds start at €500 minimum. These private investors hold 10% voting rights in the cooperative governance and provide patient capital aligned with the cooperative's social objectives. Tax reduction benefits available under IR-PME Madelin for qualifying investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Ceinture Verte operates a network of SCIC (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) cooperatives that enable individuals to install as diversified organic market gardeners in peri-urban French territories. The cooperative removes structural barriers to farm installation by providing equipped land (greenhouses, irrigation, cold storage, buildings), public-private financing structures, and technical-economic accompaniment during the critical first three years. Market gardeners sell their organic produce independently through local short circuits (AMAP, farm stands, markets, collective catering).

Product overview

La Ceinture Verte is a network of agricultural cooperatives (SCIC - Sociétés Coopératives d'Intérêt Collectif) organized around a platform-plus-services model. The core offering is installation aid in biological diversified market gardening, comprising farm setup services, technical-economic accompaniment, and land access support. The network is developing a digital 'Plateforme d'appui à l'exploitation' for farm management and performance optimization. The Territoires de maraîchers innovation project incubates agricultural technology solutions, all unified under the cooperative umbrella that connects farmers, local authorities, agricultural development structures, and solidarity investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Territoires de maraîchers: Innovation incubator project supported by France 2030 under the program 'Démonstrateurs territoriaux des transitions agricoles et alimentaires'

Products and services

• Installation Aid in Diversified Market Gardening Core service that helps new farmers install in biological diversified market gardening through cooperative support, including land access, financial investment support, and technical-economic accompaniment. Targets individuals in professional reconversion who have completed BPREA training.
• Farm Development and Setup Service covering identification and financial support of land, financing of production tools (buildings, tunnels, irrigation), and layout of ready-to-use farms for market gardeners. Standard 2-hectare farms typically cost around €250,000 each.
• Technical-Economic Support Technical and economic accompaniment for market gardeners during their first years of installation, including mentorship from experienced farmers, ongoing support for farm viability, and guidance on organic farming practices.
• Territoires de maraîchers Innovation incubator testing and structuring agroecological innovations for market gardening across multiple territories (Béarn, Drôme, Limousin, Normandy, Auvergne). Nearly 30 agricultural innovations were tested between 2024-2025, with about 15 selected for operational deployment starting 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400 families fed per 2-hectare organic farm
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Chambre d'agriculture (regional agricultural chambers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional Chambers of Agriculture are key partners in most SCICs: Chambre d'agriculture de région Ile-de-France, Chambre Régionale d'Agriculture de Normandie, Chambre d'agriculture des Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Chambre d'agriculture du Puy-de-Dôme, Chambre d'agriculture Savoie Mont-Blanc. They provide agricultural expertise, network access, and technical support.
• EpaMarne (Établissement Public d'Aménagement Marne-la-Vallée)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EPA Marne is a key partner in the Paris-Est SCIC, providing land development expertise and urban planning capabilities. The public development body supports the cooperative's land mobilization efforts in the peri-urban context of Greater Paris.
• Biocoop (Fréquence Bio)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Biocoop Fréquence Bio Caen-Venoix-Zénith (operated by Sabioca) is a partner in Ceinture Verte Caen Calvados SCIC. As France's leading organic retailer network, this partnership provides potential sales channel for cooperative farmers.
• RhizomesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Rhizome, a cooperative business activity company, is a partner in multiple SCICs (Caen Calvados, Le Havre). They contribute expertise in business development and local economic animation.
• Limoges MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Limoges Métropole is a key institutional partner and major supporter of the Haute-Vienne and Centre Vienne SCICs. Bernard Thalamy, 1st Vice-President of Limoges Métropole, chairs the national strategic committee of Territoires de maraîchers.
• Clermont Auvergne MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Metropolitan authority is the driving force behind Ceinture Verte Pays d'Auvergne. Partnered in 2022 SCIC creation and ongoing farm development projects across the territory.
• Caen la mer (Community Urban)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Urban community is founding partner of Ceinture Verte Caen Calvados SCIC, providing land access and institutional support for the cooperative's farm development plans.
• Département du CalvadoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Departmental authority is a founding partner of the Caen Calvados SCIC, contributing to land mobilization and public funding for agricultural transition projects.
• Grand PoitierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Metropolitan authority drives the Centre Vienne SCIC, with Vice-President Frédy Poirier serving as SCIC President. Acquired farm at Jaunay-Marigny for cooperative development.
• Métropole Rouen NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Metropolitan authority is the driving force behind Ceinture Verte Rouen Normandie SCIC, with strategic goals aligned to the territory's food project and land preservation objectives.
• Pau Béarn Pyrénées AgglomérationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Original territorial partner for the first SCIC created in 2020. President Patrick Buron serves as Vice-President of the agglomeration in charge of agriculture and food.
• Le Havre Seine MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Urban community drives the Le Havre Seine SCIC, with 8-hectare site at Montivilliers and ongoing farm development.
• Agricultural education institutions (EPLEFPA, Agrocampus64, Lycées agricoles)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Agricultural training institutions support farmer development: EPLEFPA de la Seine Maritime (Le Havre), Agrocampus64 (Béarn), Lycée agricole (Haute-Vienne). They provide technical expertise and access to training networks.
• Agricultural development associations (CIVAM, ADEAR, Agrobio)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Farmer networks and organic agriculture associations support SCICs: CIVAM Normandie, ADEAR Limousin, Agrobio87, ABDEA Béarn, Vienne Agrobio. They provide farmer network access and organic farming expertise.
• Cerfrance (accounting services)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Cerfrance Seine Normandie is a partner in multiple SCICs providing accounting, administrative, and business advisory services to farmers and cooperatives.
• Naturex (lending library of agricultural tools)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Agricultural tool sharing organization supports farm equipment access for member farmers, reducing individual capital requirements.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VerteCeinture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-ceinture-verte

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Ceinture Verte