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Published on 18.08.2026 
Our parent company was established in 2003 following the merger of two Belgian families: the Floc’h family, a major player in the frozen vegetable sector, and the Vervaeke family, a leading potato trader. The group owns its long-established site in Péruwelz (Hinaut) and, more recently, the site in Péronne.
I am in charge of the factory’s roll-out: setting up the site, which covers a total of 13 hectares; constructing the buildings on 6 hectares; implementing the production processes; and recruiting staff. My role is to ensure that everyone has the best possible working conditions.
From February 2026, we will be producing 100,000 tonnes of fries per year, which will involve purchasing 200,000 tonnes of 100% French potatoes.
This decision was directly linked to the agricultural production area: we wanted to be in the heart of potato production, mainly in the Centre-Ardenne region, in order to reduce our transport-related CO₂ emissions.
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We also wanted to meet the growing demand for Made in France products on the French market. Finally, Péronne is a strategic location in Europe, right at the center of the continent, which makes it easier for us to target the Italian and Spanish markets. As such, we will be right on the doorstep of the Port of Péronne, in anticipation of the future Seine-Nord Europe canal.
Furthermore, contrary to what one might think, it has become almost more complicated to set up a factory like ours in Belgium than in France, due to the lack of land opportunities. The proposal to set up on the former Flodor industrial brownfield site was ideal, with no encroachment on agricultural land and a redeveloped brownfield site.
In the future, thanks to our presence in the Hauts-de-France region, we will be able to ship containers by inland waterway to major European ports – a key strategic factor, given that we are a heavily export-orientated industry.
In 2021, the site had not yet been fully dismantled. We therefore had to take steps with the Haute-Somme Communauté de Communes (inter-municipality cooperation body) to ensure it carried out the complete demolition, asbestos removal and site restoration.
Setting up on a brownfield site proves more complex than on a greenfield site, as the plot is not rectangular and the design of the buildings needs to be adapted.
However, it was important for us, from an environmental perspective, to aim for a “net zero land intake” (ZAN) approach, given that we were able to reuse certain elements from the previous site, notably the existing boreholes, thereby avoiding the need to drill new water wells.
We are a team of people in our forties from an agricultural background who are genuinely environmentally conscious. This is a major industrial project that needed to be properly expounded. This was therefore a key issue, both from an administrative perspective and during the public consultation, where we received an extremely positive response.
Many people were delighted to see the site revitalized, telling us that they had a relative or acquaintance who used to work at Flodor.
In Péronne, we are installing a wastewater treatment plant equivalent to that of a town with a population of 250,000 inhabitants. We will treat all our wastewater using the most efficient processes available on the market, to discharge the cleanest water possible back into the natural environment, whilst reusing up to 50% of the treated water. This represents a major cost saving and is a significant environmental benefit.
We are a team of people in our forties from an agricultural background who are genuinely environmentally conscious. This is a major industrial project that needed to be properly expounded. This was therefore a key issue, both from an administrative perspective and during the public consultation, where we received an extremely positive response.
This is another key point, as the plant is designed to double its capacity, with the aim of eventually operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are already planning to recruit 150 employees in 2026, but the site could have 250 staff within three years.
The success of our project therefore depends on our ability to recruit the right people. As far as production staff are concerned, I’m fairly confident. For management roles, it’s more difficult because Péronne isn’t a large urban area and we often need to find employment for spouses as well. We’re being supported by France Travail, several employment agencies and recruitment firms to achieve this objective.
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We’re also launching a social media campaign to boost our appeal. The first employees to join us were sent to Belgium for two to three weeks of on-the-job training.
We have been supported by the Haute-Somme Communauté de Communes with the purchase of the land and the setting up of the facility, as well as by the Péronne sub-prefecture and the Somme prefecture, which were of great assistance to us with the planning permission, the operating license and the environmental procedures.
I must say that the project has been a long and difficult process – particularly when dealing with the authorities – but it has never been rejected at a local level. This is important, because at critical moments, when doubts arose, if there had also been local opposition, it could have tipped the balance against the decision to invest. In this regard, I would like to highlight the key role played by the Regional Council and Nord France Invest, which were instrumental in mediating between the various stakeholders (see box).
It is wonderful to have a major industrial facility based here in the region, bringing with it new jobs. I have mentioned the direct recruitment, but our analyses indicate that the project will generate almost 1,000 associated jobs if we take into account the wide range of indirect roles: transport, agriculture, suppliers, services, and more.
As an economic promotion agency, NFI has supported over 1,500 investment projects in Hauts-de-France.
Its work takes many forms – advice, information, or connecting businesses with the wider regional economic ecosystem, from finding sites to helping secure financial support, alongside networking with local, departmental and regional decision-makers.
In his interview, Matthieu Lenglet spoke frankly about a role NFI rarely gets credit for, yet one that proved essential: that of mediator.
“A project like ours involved a complex administrative phase. Several times, we thought it would be postponed. Nord France Invest always managed to bring us back to the table, activate the right contacts, keep the momentum going, and encourage us when our confidence was starting to waver”, said the director, describing “genuine follow-up and moral support”.
Repeatedly praising the NFI specialist who managed the project, he credited them with “the ability to grease the wheels, flag up sensitive issues and reconnect decision-makers”. The executive overseeing the factory’s roll-out believes the project might not have succeeded without NFI.
The Belgian investor also thanked the prefect and, more broadly, all the institutional and political decision-makers who made the project possible. That said, they felt that France – while respecting the law – should simplify procedures and make dealings with the administration easier. A broad issue, and one beyond NFI’s remit.
Dorothée
Rémi
Dorothée and Rémi are your dedicated contacts for the agri-food industry. They provide confidential and free support throughout every stage of your business development in the Hauts-de-France region.
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