The French potato chip manufacturer Altho Brets recently revealed that it planned to begin building on the new production facility in the second half of 2024 and open by the end of 2025.

According to company information, the investment will enable the company to meet the rising demand for potato chips in France through boosting its production capacity by 15,000 tonnes.

Building the plant, which will be close to its current production in Pontivy Communauté in Brittany, would cost “nearly EUR100m (USD107.7m)” for Altho Brets, which is expanding its operations internationally under the Bret’s brand or with private labels. Production and logistics will be automated at the new facility.

“This ambitious project of nearly EUR100m, in line with the values of our family group, will create more than 40 jobs by 2030, anchor Altho Brets in its territory in the long term and, above all, support our supermarket and catering customers in the growth of the French crisp market,” Laurent Cavard, Chairman and CEO of Altho, mentioned, cited by API.

Without mentioning the source of the information, representatives of the Enterprise de Taille Intermediaire from Morbihan (ETI) disclosed for the aforementioned source that sales of potato chips in France had increased by more than 4% in 2022. They said that 40% of the potato chips purchased in the nation are imported.

Situated in the center of Brittany, a fertile agricultural region known for its abundance of vegetables and potatoes, is Altho Brets. With 309 employees year-round and up to 400 during peak season, the enterprise is a significant economic force in the area.

Beyond the team, the agricultural partnership that unites more than 250 local farmers with at least 200 Breton businesses (suppliers or contractors) who collaborate with them year-round shapes the entire local economy.

Methanization and Water Saving

The project includes investments to reduce the water consumption of the site.

“Today, its efforts allow it to consider switching to 2.1 litres of water per kg of potatoes compared to 3 litres in 2021,” according to the company.

In addition, the bio-waste from both sites will be exploited by the methanization tool of the Sober company (a subsidiary of the family group) to produce biogas and digestate used as a natural soil improver by farmers. Altho Brets is a subsidiary of the holding company AGH owned by the entrepreneur Alain Glon. It had a turnover of EUR206m in 2022. It has another plant (60 employees) in Pouzin (07) opened in 2014.

Altho operates one production facility in Portugal (Tentugal) and two in France (Bretagne and Ardèche).