Greenyard Frozen steps up investment in Comines

Greenyard is the world leader in fruit and vegetables, with three complementary divisions: Fresh, Prepared and Frozen.

The Fresh division provides international distribution of fresh produce, drawing on an extensive network to meet the requirements of major food retailers. Prepared specialises in high-quality canned foods, such as soups and ready meals.

Finally, Frozen stands out for its ability to transform fresh fruit and vegetables into top-quality frozen foods. This division embodies Greenyard’s core values, driven by an unwavering passion and commitment to excellence. The Frozen teams, with their strong Flemish heritage, combine entrepreneurial drive and agility to respond effectively to the diverse challenges of the sector.

Reliability is a cornerstone at Greenyard Frozen. A value that is reflected in solid relationships with both suppliers and customers, for a robust and sustainable value chain. This spirit of collaboration and sharing is rooted in our corporate culture. It fosters win-win partnerships, particularly with producers in the Hauts de France region.

In addition, Greenyard Frozen is strengthening its commitment to sustainability by adopting innovative technologies, such as the introduction of weeding robots in the crops and the use of drones. The aim of these techniques is to reduce the use of plant protection products and to contribute to a greener future. The pure power of plants is an integral part of Greenyard’s 2030 strategy. It has a clear aim and ambition: to improve lives through pure plant-based food experiences, enabling healthier lifestyles while ensuring more sustainable food supply chains.

Greenyard Frozen’s Comines site, steeped in a rich heritage dating back to its transformation from distillery to production plant in the 1960s, is a prime example of the company’s expertise and innovation.

Managed by Nicolas Fromentin, the site has recently embarked on an ambitious expansion and modernisation programme, aimed at increasing its production capacity from 40,000 to 60,000 tonnes a year. This growth is the result of targeted investment, particularly in the development of higher added-value products. In this way, the project is responding to new consumer expectations for greater diversity, particularly in products in sauce.

At the same time, a substantial investment of €4 million has been allocated to the installation of a new freezing tunnel. This modernisation not only aims to increase production capacity, but also plays a crucial role in preserving and creating new jobs.

To strengthen its investments, Greenyard Frozen in Comines has received significant financial support from the Lille European Metropolis (MEL) and the Hauts-de-France region. As part of this expansion, the company has benefited from the support of the Invest team from the Lille Attractiveness Agency and its regional partner Nord France Invest. The Invest team at the Lille Attractiveness Agency was involved in the HR aspect of the project, helping to put the company in touch with local employment partners. For example, this collaboration has led to job dating and individual interviews with the France Travail agency in Halluin and the Randstad agency, with a frequency of 2 meetings per month to meet the recruitment needs associated with the site’s increased production capacity.

Greenyard Frozen is looking for a wide range of profiles in Comines, from maintenance technicians to team leaders, line operators and forklift drivers. These opportunities reflect the need for diversified skills to support operations and contribute to the company’s success. Committed to developing new talent, Greenyard Frozen offers stimulating career prospects in a dynamic and constantly changing environment.

For Nicolas Fromentin, the success of the site and its constant development can be attributed to a simple recipe: “Our site, on a human scale, offers committed teams proximity, versatility and autonomy, while benefiting from the Greenyard Group’s resources and agility”.