Ferme De Fontenay

What Ferme De Fontenay does

Ferme de Fontenay (operating company: VAL LEGUMES SAS) is a fourth-generation French family farm headquartered in Fontenay-de-Bossery, Aube, founded in 1924 and led today by Antoine Vajou. The company specialises in the production, automated packing, and distribution of Allium vegetables — primarily yellow onions (34,000 t/year), coloured onions (4,000 t), shallots (1,500 t), banana shallots (700 t), garlic (500 t), and silverskin onions (200 t) — reaching a total annual volume of approximately 41,000 tonnes through a 200 tonnes/day fully automated conditioning centre.

The business model is vertically integrated from seed supply and own-farm production (50% of volume) through a network of 25 partner producers (the remaining 50%) to direct distribution to large retail chains (75% of sales), food service operators and export buyers (25%). The portfolio is split between a core Ferme de Fontenay range and a premium VAJOU sub-brand featuring hand-grown regional products, HVE-certified agroecological lines, zero-pesticide-residue options, and blockchain-enabled QR-code traceability deployed since 2022. Nine certifications (GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, HVE, ZRP, AB, IFS Food, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, PME+) anchor buyer prequalification, and an in-store merchandising service within a 200 km radius supports retail execution.

FY2023 revenue was €34 million, with sales having tripled over the prior decade. The company employs 60 permanent staff (excluding seasonal harvest labour), sources 80% of its energy from on-site solar as of 2025, and converts organic waste to biogas via anaerobic digestion. The company is privately held by the Vajou family, with no disclosed external shareholders, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Ferme De Fontenay

Legal name

VAL LEGUMES SAS

Website

https://fermedefontenay.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ferme de Fontenay is a fourth-generation French family farm that produces, packs, and distributes 41,000 tonnes of Allium vegetables (onions, shallots, garlic, echalions) annually to large retailers, food service operators, and export markets under the Ferme de Fontenay and VAJOU brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce - Allium Vegetables (Onions, Shallots, Garlic)

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE)

Keywords

• Fresh onion production
• Allium vegetable supplier
• Shallot and garlic production
• Automated fruit packing
• Agricultural produce wholesaling

Headquarters

HQ city

Fontenay-de-bossery

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales - Large Retail: 75% of products sold to supermarkets and large retail chains (grande distribution). The company supplies major French retail groups with packaged fresh Allium vegetables under the Ferme de Fontenay and VAJOU brands as well as customer own-brands.
2. Fresh Produce Sales - Food Service & Export: 25% of products sold to food service businesses, wholesalers and export markets. Supplies restaurants, catering, and international buyers with fresh and packaged Allium vegetables.
3. On-farm Direct Sales: Direct sales of produce to consumers through the on-site farm shop (magasin), complementing the B2B distribution model.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ferme de Fontenay is a vertically integrated producer, conditioner, and distributor of fresh Allium vegetables—onions, shallots, garlic, banana shallots (échalions), and silverskin onions—sold under the Ferme de Fontenay core brand and the premium VAJOU range. The company operates a fully automated packing centre with 200 tonnes/day capacity, manages 600 hectares of own and partner production, and applies blockchain traceability on its premium line. Annual commercialization reaches 41,000 tonnes, with 75% sold to large French retail chains and 25% to food service, wholesale, and export markets.

Product overview

Ferme de Fontenay operates as a vertically integrated producer, conditioner, and distributor of Allium vegetables with two main brand lines. The FERME DE FONTENAY brand serves the core/budget market, while the VAJOU premium sub-brand offers hand-grown, regionally sourced products with HVE certification and full blockchain traceability via QR codes. The product portfolio includes yellow onions (34,000 tonnes/year), coloured onions (4,000 tonnes), traditional and hybrid shallots (1,500 tonnes), banana shallots (700 tonnes), garlic (500 tonnes), and silverskin onions (200 tonnes). The company also markets specialty products including The Orion mild onion variety, organic-certified products, and zero pesticide residue ranges. Additional services include in-store merchandising support across Grand-Est, Ile-de-France, and Burgundy regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ferme de Fontenay (brand): Core market, low-price range brand emphasizing the company's role as grower and packer. Early onions marketed under 'L'Oignon Nouveau' brand from June to September.
• VAJOU (brand)
• Committed Farmers
• Organic
• Zero pesticide residue
• The Orion

Products and services

• Ferme de Fontenay Core Brand Range Core market, low-price range emphasizing the company's role as grower and packer. Early onions harvested from end of May and marketed under 'L'Oignon Nouveau' brand from June to September.
• VAJOU Premium Range Premium 4-in-1 range: Premium (hand-grown and packaged), Regional (30% Brie/Ile-de-France, 70% Champagne), Agroecological (HVE label, zero pesticide residue options), and 100% Traced (blockchain QR-code traceability). Includes yellow onions, red onions, pink onions, silverskin onions, shallots, banana shallots, and garlic.
• Yellow Onions Primary product at 34,000 tonnes packaged per year. Includes standard yellow onions and 'Zéro Résidu de Pesticides' (Zero Pesticide Residue) labelled variants.
• Coloured Onions (Red, Pink, White, Sweet) Approximately 4,000 tonnes packaged per year, including red onions, pink onions, white onions, and sweet onions.
• Shallots (Traditional and Hybrid) Approximately 1,500 tonnes of traditional and hybrid shallots packaged per year.
• Banana Shallots (Échalions) Approximately 700 tonnes of banana shallots packaged per year. A specialty product in the Allium vegetable category.
• Garlic (Ail) Approximately 500 tonnes of garlic packaged per year, available in conventional and organic varieties.
• Silverskin Onions (Oignons Sauciers) Approximately 200 tonnes of silverskin onions packaged per year.
• The Orion Onion Innovative onion variety developed by seed company BEJO. Features a mild, sweet flavour suitable for raw or cooked consumption. Does not cause tearing, lingering smell on fingers, or bad breath. Marketed via dedicated website oignon-orion.fr.
• Organic Products Range Products from the company's family farm converted to organic farming and 3 partner farms, certified with AB (Agriculture Biologique) label.
• In-Store Merchandising Service Tailored merchandising service within 200 km radius of the farm (Grand-Est, Ile-de-France, and Burgundy) for retail partners, including shelving/facing, order recommendations, promotional campaigns every 6 weeks, in-store tasting events, and customised POS materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sales tripled over 10 years, reaching €34 million in 2023
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 25 Partner Producers (network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA network of 25 independent agricultural producers working alongside Ferme de Fontenay, supplying 50% of total production volume. The company provides comprehensive technical support including seed supply and agronomic advice, and all partner farms comply with GLOBALG.A.P. and other certifications. This partnership model extends the company's production reach across the 600 ha area within 80 km of the farm.
• Collectif Nouveaux ChampscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFerme de Fontenay participates in the Collectif Nouveaux Champs collective, through which the Zero Pesticide Residue (ZRP) label was launched in 2018. This industry collective supports and promotes sustainable farming practices and pesticide-free production among its member producers.
• Demain la Terre (association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Demain la Terre association of fruit and vegetable producers committed to sustainable food production. Membership provides a framework for sharing best practices and demonstrating sustainability credentials to buyers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bonduelle: Major French/European vegetable producer with canned, frozen and fresh product lines and a similar large-retail customer base. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same French vegetable category, though with a far more diversified portfolio than Ferme de Fontenay.
• Agrial: Large French agricultural cooperative with an extensive fresh produce division (including Florette). Comparable as a major French fresh-produce platform serving large retail chains, though operating at much greater scale and across multiple categories.
• Ardo: European frozen vegetable major player supplying retail and food service across multiple countries. Comparable as a large European vegetable processor/distributor serving B2B customers, though operating in frozen rather than fresh produce.

Regional players

• Saveol: French vegetable cooperative primarily producing tomatoes but also other fresh produce. Comparable as a French vegetable producer with cooperative governance and major-retail distribution, though concentrated in a different crop and Breton region.
• Solarenn: French vegetable cooperative in Brittany focused on tomatoes and other greenhouse vegetables. Comparable in operating as a French cooperative producer selling into large retail, though in a different crop category and geography.
• Prince de Bretagne: Breton vegetable cooperative with strong brand recognition and direct-to-retail distribution. Comparable in operating as a regional French vegetable producer cooperative serving major retailers, though focused on a different geography and broader crop mix.
• D'Aucy (Eureden): Breton vegetable cooperative under the Eureden group with canned and fresh vegetable lines. Comparable as a French cooperative producer selling into retail and food service, though primarily based in Brittany and across a broader product mix.

Direct peers

• Florette: French fresh prepared salads and vegetables brand (Agrial subsidiary). Directly comparable as a French fresh vegetable processor/packer selling to large retail under both own-brand and private label, with a similar B2B distribution focus.
• Perle du Nord: French endive specialist with a similar vertically integrated producer-packer-distributor model serving large retail. Comparable as a French fresh vegetable specialist focused on a single category, with comparable supply chain and retail customer dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fermedefontenay2205
• Xx.com/fermefontenay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/val-legumes-ferme-de-fontenay

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Ferme De Fontenay