France’s Domaine Lafage has acquired Groupement Interproducteurs Collioure Banyuls (GICB), renaming the domestic cooperative Terrasses Vermeilles.
Domaine Lafage confirmed the acquisition and name-change of the winegrower cooperative on LinkedIn. According to local reports, the family-owned Roussillon business paid EUR1.5m (US$2m) for GICB.
Global Drinks Intel has contacted Domaine Lafage for more information.
Terrasses Vermeilles is a cooperative of 500 winemakers from the Banyuls and Collioure towns in Southern France, farming 500 hectares of vines. Domaine Lafage was reportedly the sole bidder for GICB, and has pledged to invest €10m in the business, according to national French broadcaster Ici.
“The Lafage family’s commitment to this takeover reflects a desire to preserve an exceptional collective heritage and to build a sustainable future for the Banyuls and Collioure appellations, their producers and their employees,” the company said.
“Producers are the raison d’être of this project. The ambition is to better promote production, strengthen its competitiveness and create more value for those who cultivate these exceptional terroirs and for future generations.”
Last week, Family-owned Champagne Louis Roederer made its first acquisition in Burgundy with the purchase of Domaine Pierre Damoy.
