Unicoque

What Unicoque does

Unicoque is a French agricultural cooperative (SCA - Société Coopérative Agricole) founded in 1979 and headquartered in Cancon, Lot-et-Garonne, France. Originally established as Agri-Noisettes by the National Association of Hazelnut Producers (ANPN), it merged with Sica France-Noix in 1990 to form Unicoque, adding walnuts to its hazelnut platform. The cooperative federates more than 350 farmer members producing approximately 10,000 tonnes of hazelnuts annually and accounts for 98% of French hazelnut production and 50% of the European market for in-shell hazelnuts. Unicoque operates five production sites in the region and supports an estimated 650 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in France.

The cooperative provides end-to-end nut processing including calibration, optical and laser-based sorting, ultrasound quality control, shelling, roasting, grinding, and packaging. Its proprietary KOKI brand has been the benchmark for French hazelnuts and walnuts for 40 years, complemented by the Lola Nuts standard range. Products span whole and shelled nuts, roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut powder, walnut oil, and hazelnut oil, with processing services offered to third parties. Quality systems include IFS Food, ISO 22000, ISO 9001, and AFAQ 26000 certifications.

Unicoque monetizes through B2B sales to food distributors and industrial food manufacturers across European and export markets, with 50% of turnover derived from exports. A complementary direct-to-consumer channel operates via the Koki La Boutique retail store and e-commerce platform. With €35 million in stated annual turnover, approximately 100 direct employees, and the 10-20-30 capacity tripling project underway through 2030, Unicoque is executing a publicly funded expansion supported by the EU (FEDER), French state (France Relance), and regional government partners.

Name

Unicoque

Legal name

SCA Unicoque

Website

https://unicoque.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Unicoque is a French agricultural cooperative producing, processing, and marketing hazelnuts and walnuts for European distributors, industrial food manufacturers, and consumers under the KOKI and Lola Nuts brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tree Nut Production and Processing

NAICS

Tree Nut Farming (111335), Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (424), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (424410)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic Food Co-ops & Community Natural Grocers (CRAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Worker-Owned Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAC), Multi-Stakeholder Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAD)

Keywords

• Hazelnut production
• Walnut processing
• Agricultural cooperative
• Nut sorting services
• Tree nut manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cancon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Nut Production and Processing: The cooperative collects hazelnuts and walnuts from 350+ farmer members, processes them through calibration, sorting, shelling, roasting, and grinding operations, and commercializes finished products. Revenue comes from selling processed nuts (whole, shelled, roasted, powdered) to distributors, industrial clients, and consumers under KOKI (premium) and Lola Nuts (standard) brands. 50% of turnover is derived from export markets.
2. Cooperative Membership Fees: Farmers become cooperative members by subscribing social capital corresponding to their activities: delivery of agricultural products, purchase of supplies, and use of services. This creates a mutualized economic model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Unicoque is an agricultural cooperative that produces, processes, and markets French hazelnuts and walnuts sourced from its 350+ farmer members. The cooperative operates calibration, sorting, shelling, roasting, grinding, and packaging operations across five production sites in Lot-et-Garonne and sells finished products under the KOKI premium brand and the Lola Nuts standard brand to distributors, industrial food manufacturers, and consumers, with 50% of turnover from export markets.

Product overview

Unicoque is an agricultural cooperative that produces, processes, and markets hazelnuts and walnuts. The company operates two main product lines: the premium KOKI brand (recognized for 40 years as the benchmark for French hazelnuts and walnuts) and the standard range Lola Nuts brand. Products include whole nuts in shell, shelled nuts, roasted nuts, hazelnut powder, and oils. Processing capabilities include calibration, sorting, and packaging services across various formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOKI: Premium brand recognized for 40 years as the benchmark for French hazelnuts and walnuts. Hazelnuts and walnuts of excellence.
• Lola Nuts

Products and services

• KOKI Hazelnuts

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% European market share for whole hazelnuts with 4,500 tonnes sold
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bureau d'Etudes LacscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLake Studies Office supporting producers in the design of hillside reservoirs for irrigation, having created approximately 50 individual retention basins totaling 2,000,000 m3 stored since 2010, helping to enhance the territory.
• La Coopérative Agricole Nouvelle-AquitaineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural cooperative federation that Unicoque is affiliated with as a member cooperative.
• ANPN (Association Nationale des Producteurs de Noisettes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Association of Hazelnut Producers, created in 1971, which founded the Agri-Noisette cooperative in 1979. ANPN remains a foundational partner in the French hazelnut sector.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bunge: Global agribusiness and food ingredients company with operations in oilseed processing and edible nuts. Comparable as a broad incumbent sourcing and processing agricultural raw materials for food industry customers.
• Barry Callebaut: World's leading chocolate manufacturer and significant buyer of nut ingredients for confectionery products. Comparable to Unicoque as a large-scale industrial customer with overlapping downstream applications in chocolate and pastry.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland): Global agricultural processor with an edible nuts business serving food manufacturers and beverage companies. Comparable as a broad incumbent with similar B2B industrial customers and overlapping nut ingredient capabilities.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness major with a significant cocoa and tree nuts origination and processing business serving industrial food customers. Overlaps with Unicoque in industrial nut supply, though as a much broader diversified portfolio player.

Regional players

• Hazelnut Growers of Oregon: US hazelnut cooperative representing Oregon growers, producing and processing hazelnuts for industrial and consumer markets. Directly comparable as a hazelnut-focused agricultural cooperative with a similar producer-owned structure, though serving North America.

Direct peers

• Borges International Group: Spanish family-owned processor and marketer of nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) and dried fruits with strong European retail and industrial presence. Closely comparable to Unicoque as a value-added European tree nut processor and branded nut marketer.
• Olam Food Ingredients (ofi): Major global supplier of tree nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts) and other edible nuts to industrial food manufacturers. Directly comparable to Unicoque as a nut processor and B2B ingredient supplier with similar customer overlap in confectionery and bakery.
• Ferrero: Global confectionery giant and the world's largest industrial buyer of hazelnuts (e.g., Nutella, Ferrero Rocher). Ferrero directly competes with Unicoque as both a major buyer and increasingly as a hazelnut producer itself, making it the single most relevant peer for hazelnut supply dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sca-unicoque

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Unicoque