Chef Alain Ducasse and Philippe Salle, Elior Group Chairman & CEO, have signed a strategic and culinary partnership agreement

Regulatory News:

Alain Ducasse, a standard-setting chef for French cuisine across the globe – founder of Alain Ducasse Entreprise –, and Philippe Salle – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Elior Group, (Paris:ELIOR) one of the world’s leading players in the contract and concession catering markets – have decided to team up in order to combine their growth objectives and standards of excellence.

This strategic partnership will, from the outset, accelerate each partner’s respective growth trajectory and create additional drivers for their lasting success, reinforcing their shared commitments. The two groups expect to leverage synergies from the combination in terms of providing culinary consulting, winning contracts together for major concessions across the world, and creating joint designs of innovative catering concepts.

The partnership involves Elior Group acquiring some 10% of Alain Ducasse Entreprise’s capital. This will notably enable Alain Ducasse Entreprise to ensure that its planned openings at prestigious sites – ranging from Versailles to the new Les Halles quarter in Paris – can take place in the best possible conditions. For its part, Elior Group will be able to benefit from Alain Ducasse’s savoir-faire and expertise so that it can proudly showcase French cuisine in all of its markets and service offerings.

Speaking about the agreement, Alain Ducasse said: "Our partnership with Elior Group represents the inauguration of a new type of business model that allies large-scale services with excellence.” Equally enthusiastic about the deal, Philippe Salle said: "The reason why our two groups decided to join forces is because we have a shared vision of excellence and a common desire to innovate in order to better serve our customers.”

Both Alain Ducasse and Philippe Salle are extremely confident in the future of the culinary profession and have ambitious objectives for their groups. As a result they are delighted to have entered into this partnership which will drive growth for both parties involved.

About Alain Ducasse Entreprise

Alain Ducasse Entreprise devotes itself with passion to the culinary pleasures and arts of hospitality in order to answer to the needs of its varied, mobile and international customers. The Group keeps on developing new ideas and ensuring their circulation. This constant search for excellence relies on the particular talents of the men and women of the Group, on the utmost quality of its products and on a complete knowledge of modern technologies. At the head of his Group, Alain Ducasse is at once a chef-creator, and a strict entrepreneur. As creator, he insists on offering a cuisine that is just right; as entrepreneur, he implements a modern economic model, a transfer of his knowledge and a relevant vision of the food service and hospitality industry.

About Elior Group

Founded in 1991, Elior Group, one of the world's leading operators in the contracted food and support services industry, is the caterer of choice in the domains of business, education and health, as well as in the world of travel.

In 2014, the Group generated revenue of €5,341 million in 13 countries. Its 106,000 employees serve 3.8 million customers every day in 18,000 restaurants and points of sale. Their mission is to welcome and take care of each individual through personalized catering and service solutions which create an innovative consumer experience.

Elior Group pays particularly close attention to its corporate social responsibility and has been a member of the UN Global Compact since 2004. The professional excellence of its teams, their daily commitment to quality and innovation, and their dedication to providing special moments is expressed through its motto: "Time savored."

More information: www.eliorgroup.com or follow us on Twitter @Elior_France/@Elior_Group

eliorgroup.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151004005110/en/