Apollo announced it agreed to acquire a majority stake in Prosol Group, a French fresh food retail operator, from Ardian, positioning the company for its next phase of growth in France and internationally. Prosol’s existing shareholders and management team will reinvest alongside the Apollo funds.
Founded in 1992, Prosol has built a vertically integrated model to secure consistent access to high-quality, fresh products through a proprietary supply chain. The company operates nearly 450 stores across France, anchored by two primary banners. Under Grand Frais, Prosol provides key fresh categories including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and fish. Through Fresh., a fully owned retail chain, the company sells fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, and meat, broadening its direct-to-consumer offering.
Apollo said Prosol’s approach combines extensive sourcing with a focus on in-store execution, working with more than 2,300 partners to procure premium produce and deliver a differentiated customer experience. The company said this model has built a loyal, fast-growing customer base and helped Grand Frais achieve strong consumer sentiment in France. Prosol’s broader portfolio also includes La Boulangerie du Marché, mon-marché.fr, BioFrais, and Banco Fresco in Italy.
Apollo highlighted its long history of investing across retail and consumer businesses and noted its longstanding activity in France, where it said it has approximately €14 billion invested across strategies. The firm said Atlantys Investors, founded by Jean Luc Allavena, serves as an advisor to Apollo in France.
The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. UBS AG served as lead financial advisor to the Apollo funds, with Royal Bank of Canada and Lazard also advising. Sidley Austin LLP, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP served as legal counsel on the transaction.
KEY QUOTES:
“Prosol is a clear category leader in fresh food retail, with a powerful customer proposition and outstanding sourcing model. Under the leadership of Jean-Paul, the Company has demonstrated consistent organic growth over time, providing shoppers with exceptional quality products, breadth of assortment and strong value for money. As Prosol looks to expand its estate both in France and internationally, Apollo will draw on our extensive retail expertise to support the management team’s growth plans while maintaining the distinctive identity beloved by customers.”
Alex van Hoek, Lead Partner for European Private Equity at Apollo
“This investment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Prosol and is testament to not only the strength of our business, but also the deep relationships we have formed with our suppliers and customers. With the support and expertise of such a strong partner in Apollo, we are well-positioned to achieve our long-term growth ambitions and bring our distinctive retail concept to more customers across Europe.”
Jean-Paul Mochet, Chief Executive Officer at Prosol
