Major Romanian poultry producer AAylex takes EUR 20mn loan to expand

AAylex ONE, which operates the poultry brand Cocorico, contracted a EUR 20 million loan from a syndicate formed by CEC Bank, Alpha Bank, and Exim Banca Românească, to support the company's operational activity and its development, according to Opinia Buzau.

CEC Bank acted as lead coordinator of the transaction, providing EUR 10 million of the total amount. Alpha Bank contributed another EUR 10 million, and Exim Banca Românească acts as guarantor on behalf and for the account of the state.

Recently, the company announced that it has forged a partnership with Auchan Retail Romania to launch a new concept of restaurants that will be located outside Auchan hypermarkets. The first Artisan by Cocorico unit was opened in July at Auchan Constanţa Sud.

AAylex ONE, owned by local entrepreneur Bogdan Stanca, is one of the main players in Romania's food industry. It had a RON 1.14 billion (EUR 230 million) turnover in 2023.

The company's business is vertically and horizontally integrated, from hatchery and breeding stations to maintaining the natural genetics of chickens, natural chicken feed factories, chicken breeding farms, an ultra-modern, fully automated slaughterhouse, as well as two processing plants.

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