Oratio Avocats Advises Crédit Mutuel Equity on Van Den Casteele Capital Investment

Oratio Avocats advised Crédit Mutuel Equity, while HEPTA and SE3C advised Van Den Casteele; Théret & Associés and Baker Tilly France also advised Crédit Mutuel Equity. Oratio Avocats assisted Crédit Mutuel Equity by conducting legal and tax due diligence in connection with Crédit Mutuel Equity’s acquisition of an equity stake in Van Den Casteele, a manufacturer and distributor of artisanal ice creams and premium frozen desserts based in Saint-Sylvestre-Cappel in the Hauts-de-France region. Founded in 1975 by artisan pastry chef Michel Van Den Casteele and taken over in 2008 by Édouard Beaugrand (joined in 2022 by Florent Lécrivain), Van Den Casteele reports approximately €10 million in revenue, employs 90 staff and operates a network of 12 boutiques in the region. The company’s offering is built on artisanal know‑how, high-quality ingredients and creative frozen desserts. Around 80% of sales are to private customers, with the remainder coming from a network of partner distributors and restaurateurs. More than 200 product references are produced at its historic site, where 6,800 unique handcrafted pieces are made each year. Crédit Mutuel Equity’s entry is intended to support the next stage of Van Den Casteele’s development. The transaction is designed in particular to finance the creation, by the end of 2027, of a new production and storage facility in Bailleul, Nord, to increase production capacity and support growth. Van Den Casteele also plans to expand its retail network with the objective of opening one to two new shops per year over the next five years and to develop in-store corners with selected distributors. The strategy aims to strengthen the company’s presence in the Hauts-de-France before extending into neighbouring regions and Belgium. The operation provides Van Den Casteele’s management with a long-term financial partner while enabling the company to continue to develop around its historical fundamentals: artisanal craftsmanship, product quality and territorial anchoring. Oratio Avocats represented client(s) Crédit Mutuel Equity with a team composed by: legal due diligence – Christelle Pouliquen, Nora Danquigny; tax due diligence – Corinne Lecocq, Mathilde Julienne, Mélinda Sert; social due diligence – Julien Le Texier, Guillaume Brassart. HEPTA represented client(s) Van Den Casteele with a team composed by: François Blanquart, Vincent Bernard (corporate counsel). SE3C represented client(s) Van Den Casteele with a team composed by: Xavier Veracx, Damien Dieu (financial due diligence). Théret & Associés represented client(s) Crédit Mutuel Equity with a team composed by: Edouard Theret, Ninon Devred (corporate counsel). Baker Tilly France represented client(s) Crédit Mutuel Equity with a team composed by: Jean-Charles Norris, Pierre Dufour (financial due diligence).

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Oratio Avocats Advises Crédit Mutuel Equity on Van Den Casteele Capital Investment

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Oratio Avocats Advises Crédit Mutuel Equity on Van Den Casteele Capital Investment

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