Marbour

The story of Marbour begins not in France, but in Madagascar in 1954, where founder Marcelin Bourdillon, an entrepreneur with a keen sense for business, established a diverse set of agricultural and industrial companies. He built a portfolio ranging from coffee and rice to the import of essential goods. However, a significant geopolitical event, a change in regime in Madagascar in 1975, led to the nationalization of the family's companies, forcing them to relocate to Marseille. The modern Marbour group officially emerged in 1987 after Marcelin's death, when his son, Jean Bourdillon, took the helm. This marked a pivotal turn as the company began to consolidate and strategically expand. What started as a business with roots in general agriculture and trade began to sharpen its focus. The playbook became clear: growth through acquisition. Throughout the late 90s and 2000s, Marbour executed a series of key acquisitions, primarily in the rice sector across Europe, snapping up companies in the Netherlands, Poland, and the French Caribbean. This aggressive strategy established Marbour as a major player in the European rice market. A significant event in their journey was the 2015 acquisition of MRRM Inc. in Canada for C$11 million, marking their first major entry into the North American market. More recently, the company has seen both a strategic refocus and a generational shift. In 2019, Marbour sold some of its standard rice assets to Euricom to concentrate on higher-value products like microwaveable ready meals. This was followed by an investment from a consortium of private equity firms, a move that also facilitated the leadership transition from Jean Bourdillon to his son, Sébastien, ensuring the family's legacy continues.