On July 31st, RAJA and the Verdoso group announced they had entered into exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of Retif Group, a French distributor specializing in supplies, equipment, and retail layout solutions for professionals.
After receiving favorable opinions from employee representative bodies and the green light from the Competition Authority on August 14th, 2024, both groups have finalized the acquisition.
Based in Nice, the Retif group generated revenue of 121 million euros in 2023. It employs 460 people and operates 88 retail locations across Europe, including 66 in France, 15 in Spain, 5 in Belgium, 1 in the Netherlands, and 1 in Luxembourg. The company also maintains e-commerce websites and a distribution center located in Drôme (Valence).
RAJA is an independent French family-owned group founded in 1954. The group employs 4,500 people and generates revenue of 1.7 billion euros. The group currently operates in 19 European countries and distributes its products to more than 2 million customers.
In this transaction, Cornet Vincent Ségurel conducted legal, social, economic law and compliance due diligence, as well as drafting and negotiating the acquisition documentation on behalf of the buyer, RAJA.
Participants
Acquirer: RAJA (Danièle KAPEL-MARCOVICI, PDG ; Emmanuel CLAIR ; Alexandre CHARPY ; Carmen BRICENO)
Seller: Verdoso (Franck ULLMAN, Vincent FAHMY, partners)
Advisors:
Acquirer’s Attorneys: Cornet Vincent Ségurel Lille
Management and coordination: Thomas DESCHRYVER & Benjamin CHEVALIER,
- Corporate: Benjamin CHEVALIER, Marie AMOURELLE, Clara SERVAN, Aurélia DURDA VENO, Louis HARBONNIER
- Competition Law: Amélie POULAIN, Caroline BELLONE-CLOSSET, Antoine RAUWEL
- Employment Law: Caroline HENOT, Régis DEBROISE, Eloïse GRAS-PERSYN
- Real Estate Law: Sébastien CARNEL, Bastien DERVIN, Sofiane DJEFFAL
- Contract and Commercial Lease Law: Marion RAES, Morgane PILATE, Carine MAKLES
- Intellectual Property Law: Jérémie COURTOIS, Charline QUENEZ
- Compliance: David MORTIER
Buyer’s Due Diligence (international aspects), led by Cornet Vincent Segurel and its international network:
- Italie: Withersworldwide Firm (Stefano CIGNOZZI, Anna BARDELLINI, Francesca NOBILI)
- Espagne: ARPA Firm (Teresa FLORISTAN PUERTAS, Laya ABOS ALDANONDO, Miguel LECUMBERRI, María GONZALEZ NAVARRETE)
- Belgique: DLPA Firm (Trees VUYLSTEKE, Maude MERTENS, Anaël VANDER EECKEN)
- Luxembourg: Vandenbulke Firm (Selim SOUISSI, Jeremy DA SILVA, Anastasia MIJAILOVIC)
- Allemagne: SCHACKOW Firm (Tobias HAAS)
- Pays-Bas: Boels Zanders Firm (Milou SEGERS, Sander HAFKAMP)
Tax, VAT, and Financial Due Diligence: KPMG
