Agristo Commits €350 Million to New French Mega-Plant in Hauts-de-France, Creating 300 Jobs

Belgian potato processor Agristo is making a major strategic bet on France with a €350 million investment in a new production facility in Escaudœuvres, in the Hauts-de-France region . Once operational, the plant is set to become the company’s second-largest production asset, with a long-term annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes of finished frozen potato products . The project is expected to generate approximately 300 direct jobs  and will rely on a network of 200 to 250 local agricultural partners within a 150 km radius, reinforcing Agristo’s commitment to regional supply chains . The site is being developed on the former Tereos sugar factory grounds, combining industrial redevelopment with sustainable land use .

The facility, located about 120 km from Agristo’s historic Belgian operations, is designed to bring production closer to key markets, with France and the United Kingdom ranking among the company’s top two destinations . Industrial start-up is scheduled for the second half of 2027 . Notably, while the fries line has been postponed until 2030 to better align with customer demand, production of specialty products and a new purée line will proceed as planned, starting operations in mid-2027 . This investment underscores Agristo’s long-term growth strategy in Europe’s potato heartland, leveraging Hauts-de-France’s strong agricultural ecosystem and potato supply base.