Groupe Grimaud La Corbière

What Groupe Grimaud La Corbière does

Groupe Grimaud La Corbière is a family-owned French multi-species animal genetic selection and bioproduction group founded in 1966 at Roussay (Maine-et-Loire, France) by brothers Joseph and Bernard Grimaud and now chaired by Frédéric Grimaud. The group operates two principal business lines: animal genetic selection for gastronomic and aquaculture production (ducks, rabbits, pigeons, chickens, laying hens, and shrimp) via specialized subsidiaries (Grimaud Frères, Hypharm, Blue Genetics Global, Novogen), and bioproductions for human and animal health through VPI, which supplies embryonated eggs used in the manufacture of inactivated vaccines. Headcount stands at 950 employees across more than 20 nationalities, with turnover and royalties of €120-130M generated from activities in approximately 100 countries across four continents (16 countries with own sites; 75% of operations outside France).

Genetics work is supported by the shared R&D platform Genetech, which employs 30+ researchers who pool investment in genomics, CT-Scanner imaging with AI algorithms, RFID tracking, Big Data, and precision farming technologies across species. Commercial breadth extends beyond conventional livestock into sustainable protein alternatives through Fly Genetics (a 2021 joint venture with Nasekomo for black soldier fly genetic selection) and Vital Meat (cultivated animal protein cellular agriculture), while the Weezyou digital platform extends the offering with technical support, training, and remote consultation services. Since 2022 the group has operated as a French "Entreprise à Mission" under the loi Pacte with "Caring for life" commitments embedded in its bylaws and bi-annual third-party verification.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of breeding and commercial animals, bioproduction supply contracts for vaccine manufacturers, and licensing/royalty arrangements across the international subsidiary network; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is conducted through direct subsidiary sales teams (Grimaud Frères, Hypharm, Blue Genetics Global, VPI) supplemented by major international trade shows (VIV Asia, SPACE, Sommet de l'Élevage, Tech Élevage) and the Weezyou self-serve digital channel. Recent portfolio actions - the 2023 sale of Choice Genetics to Axiom and the transfer of Filavie to CEVA, alongside the 2024 strategic refocusing announcement - have sharpened the group's positioning on fine food genetics and bioproductions as the core franchise while innovative proteins remain adjacencies.

Name

Groupe Grimaud La Corbière

Legal name

GROUPE GRIMAUD LA CORBIERE

Website

https://grimaud.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Groupe Grimaud La Corbière is a French family-owned multi-species animal genetic selection and bioproduction group (founded 1966), supplying breeding animals for gastronomic and aquaculture production (ducks, rabbits, shrimp) and embryonated eggs for vaccine manufacture to customers across approximately 100 countries, with €120-130M in turnover and royalties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Genetic Selection

NAICS

Animal Production and Aquaculture (112), Aquaculture (1125), Poultry Hatcheries (112340)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Nucleus Herd/Flock Breeding & Multiplier Stock Supply (AFAEAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Selective Breeding Program Design & Consulting (AFAEAJAE), Broodstock Development & Management (Genetic Lines, SPF/SPR Broodstock) (AFAEAKAG), Genetic Trait Selection (e.g., polled, disease resistance) Services (AFAEAJAJ)

Keywords

• Animal genetic selection
• Multi-species breeding
• Bioproductions
• Embryonated eggs
• Aquaculture genetics

Headquarters

HQ city

Roussay

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Animal Genetic Selection – Breeding Animals & Genetics: Sale of breeding animals and commercial animals for gastronomic animal production sectors (ducks, rabbits, pigeons, chickens, laying hens, shrimp). Revenue generated from the sale of superior genetic lines and related services to livestock producers worldwide. Includes associated services such as technical support, insemination, and breeding programmes.
2. Bioproductions – Embryonated Eggs for Vaccines: Supply of embryonated eggs (used in the manufacture of inactivated vaccines) and related biopharmaceutical inputs. These products are considered among the most effective in the world for treating rare and life-threatening diseases. The company also develops and markets veterinary vaccines through its subsidiaries.
3. Innovative Proteins – Insect & Cultivated Meat: Revenue from innovative protein products including insect protein meal (from black soldier fly larvae) for animal feed, and cultivated meat. Fly Genetics provides selected insect breeding stock to the insect farming industry; Vital Meat develops cultivated animal proteins for human consumption.
4. Weezyou Digital Services Platform: Digital platform providing technical support, video tutorials, technical documentation, training, podcasts, and remote consultations to livestock farmers and breeders. Services are provided either directly by the group's teams or through selected external partners.
5. Royalties from International Subsidiaries: Turnover and royalties of €130 million from approximately 100 countries, generated through wholly-owned and affiliated subsidiaries operating across genetic selection, biopharm, and innovative protein sectors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Groupe Grimaud La Corbière is a French family-owned multi-species animal genetic selection and bioproductions company that sells superior breeding animals and commercial animals for gastronomic production sectors (ducks, rabbits, pigeons, chickens, laying hens), SPF shrimp broodstock for aquaculture, embryonated eggs for human and veterinary vaccine manufacturing, genetically selected insect breeding stock, and cultivated animal proteins. The company operates a shared multi-species R&D platform (Genetech) that advances genomic selection, CT-Scanner AI imaging, RFID tracking, Big Data analytics, and Precision Farming across all species.

Product overview

Groupe Grimaud is a multi-species animal genetic selection and biopharmaceutical company organized as a portfolio of specialized subsidiaries and platforms. The core business units include Grimaud Frères (duck and festive poultry genetics), Hypharm (rabbit genetics), Blue Genetics Global (shrimp genetics), and VPI (embryonated eggs for vaccines). These are supported by the Genetech multi-technology R&D research platform and the Weezyou digital service platform. The company also operates innovative protein ventures including Fly Genetics (insect genetics) and Vital Meat (cultivated meat). The Natural Concept initiative coordinates the company's sustainability and continuous improvement programs across all business lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grimaud Frères: Duck genetics and breeding animals for gastronomic production sectors
• Hypharm
• Blue Genetics
• VPI
• Fly Genetics
• Vital Meat
• Genetech
• Natural Concept
• Weezyou
• Choice Genetics
• Novogen
• Hubbard
• Blue Genetics Global

Products and services

• Grimaud Frères Core genetic selection business for ducks (Muscovy ducks, mule ducks) and festive poultry, providing breeding animals and commercial animals for gastronomic animal production sectors along with associated technical services.
• Hypharm Rabbit genetics subsidiary specializing in genetic selection and breeding of rabbits for commercial production, including the Eurolap programme.
• Blue Genetics (Blue Genetics Global) Shrimp genetics company specializing in genetic selection for White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), providing Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) broodstock internationally, including the fast growth Quantum-G and Golden lines.
• VPI (Vaccine Products International) Producer of embryonated eggs for the production of human vaccines, supporting the biopharmaceutical division with products considered among the most effective worldwide for treatment of rare and life-threatening diseases.
• Fly Genetics World's first company specialized in insect genetic selection (Black Soldier Flies), supplying genetically selected insect breeding stock that produces more efficient bioconverter insects for the insect protein industry feeding aquaculture and poultry.
• Vital Meat Cellular agriculture project producing cultivated animal proteins (initially cultivated chicken) using bioreactors, aiming to become a leading technological platform in cultivated animal protein production that consumes fewer natural resources than conventional production.
• Weezyou Digital service platform providing technical support, video tutorials, technical documentation, training, podcasts, and remote consultations to livestock farmers and breeders, either directly by the group's teams or through selected external partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Genetic progress: 0.4 kg feed saved per kg of live poultry or pork produced over 20 years, equivalent to the annual cereal production of nearly 50 million hectares of farmland globally.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• CEVA Santé AnimaleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Filavie, the group's veterinary vaccine company, was transferred to CEVA Santé Animale in 2023. This transfer expanded CEVA's vaccine portfolio while allowing Groupe Grimaud to focus on its core genetic selection and bioproduction activities.
• Sea Products Development (SPD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Merger of Blue Genetics Mexico (subsidiary of Groupe Grimaud) and Sea Products Development (based in Taft, Texas, USA) to form Blue Genetics Global. The new entity combines Blue Genetics' fast growth 'Golden Line' shrimp with SPD's 'Quantum-G' and 'Quantum-R' lines, creating a leading global shrimp genetics company headquartered in France with Groupe Grimaud as majority shareholder.
• NasekomocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint venture with the Franco-Bulgarian startup Nasekomo to create Fly Genetics, the world's first company dedicated to insect genetic selection (black soldier flies). The partnership leverages Nasekomo's expertise in Black Soldier Fly breeding and Groupe Grimaud's genetic selection know-how. The goal is to produce more efficient bioconverter insects for the insect protein industry, feeding aquaculture and poultry with sustainable, carbon-neutral protein.
• VerbeekmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Strategic alliance formed in 2014 with Verbeek, one of the European leaders in egg laying, complementing the group's layer genetics activities and Novogen operations.
• Pen Ar LanmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Strategic alliance formed in 2011 with pig genetics company Pen Ar Lan in France, Brazil, and Poland. The merger of the group's pig breeding activities with Pen Ar Lan gave rise to the Choice Genetics brand in 2013, combining genetic expertise across multiple geographies.
• Institut Agro Rennes-AngersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Institut Agro Rennes-Angers for the annual Natural Concept Day event and the 'Futurs d'élevage' Chair. The initiative brings together 250+ animal production professionals, students, researchers, and training specialists annually to discuss sustainability, animal welfare, and the interconnection of human, animal, and planetary health.
• INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Écologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with INRAE for biodiversity conservation, both within genetic selection programmes and in species conservation programmes. INRAE collaboration supports the group's commitment to protecting animal biodiversity and sustainable agricultural research.
• InnovalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Natural Concept initiative and the 'Futurs d'élevages' Chair alongside Groupe Grimaud, Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, and Fonds de Dotation Roullier. Innoval contributes expertise in animal production and sustainable farming practices to the annual Natural Concept Day events.
• Fonds de Dotation RoullierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Futurs d'élevages' Chair and the Natural Concept Day initiative alongside Groupe Grimaud, Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, and Innoval. Contributes to funding and promoting sustainable livestock farming research and innovation.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• AquaGen: Norwegian salmon genetics company producing eyed eggs and broodstock for the global aquaculture industry; directly comparable in SPF/aquaculture-genetics business model and customer base to Blue Genetics Global.
• Hendrix Genetics: Multi-species animal genetics company (layer hens, turkeys, pigs, aquaculture, traditional poultry) headquartered in the Netherlands; the closest direct comparable to Groupe Grimaud in terms of multi-species breadth and B2B breeding-stock distribution model. Paine Schwartz-backed, similar size and customer base.
• Hy-Line International: Global layer breeding company (brown and white egg-laying hens); directly comparable to Grimaud's former Novogen layer franchise (transferred in 2021) and a useful benchmark for layer-genetics customer concentration and distribution economics.
• Topigs Norsvin: Global pig genetics company owned by the Dutch farmer cooperative Topigs; the natural acquirer-comparable for Grimaud's former pig business (Choice Genetics, sold to Axiom in 2023, which Topigs Norsvin partnered with) and a benchmark for pig-genetics valuation.
• Aviagen: Global broiler and turkey breeding-stock supplier; notably acquired Hubbard (which Grimaud divested in 2018), making it a direct read-across for valuation of Grimaud's legacy broiler franchise and a benchmark for poultry genetics scale.
• Benchmark Holdings: AIM-listed aquaculture genetics and health company (Benchmark Genetics) covering salmon, shrimp, and other species; the closest publicly traded peer to Grimaud's Blue Genetics Global shrimp SPF broodstock business.
• Lohmann Tierzucht: German layer and poultry breeding company with global distribution; comparable to Grimaud's Grimaud Frères and Hypharm businesses in commercial-poultry breeding-stock sales and European market positioning.
• Cobb-Vantress: Tyson Foods subsidiary and one of two dominant broiler breeding companies globally; serves the same enterprise poultry-meat customer base as Grimaud's historical Hubbard business and provides a benchmark for commodity poultry genetics economics.

Emerging players

• InnovaFeed: French insect protein producer using black soldier fly larvae for aquaculture and pet-food feed; the principal downstream customer of and parallel innovator in the BSF value chain alongside Groupe Grimaud's Fly Genetics joint venture.

Broad incumbents

• Genus plc: LSE-listed multi-species animal genetics company (PIC for pigs, ABS for dairy/beef); provides a rare public-market valuation read-across for the broader animal genetics category, including genomic-selection economics and biotech R&D intensity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat8 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5wHe0JLvt_GOFNnaPqW-gg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-grimaud-la-corbiere
• Xx.com/groupegrimaud

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

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 Groupe Grimaud La Corbière