French insect protein Agronutris opened a safeguard plan of the Commercial Court of Sedan "for its holding EAP Group in order to strengthen its financial structure and continue its development", a voluntary procedure that occurs when a company is at risk of insolvency, French media outlets reported.

The holding company includes a research and development laboratory and administrative functions located in Toulouse and the industrial production site in Rethel. Only activities in Toulouse are affected by this procedure. The activities of the Rethel site, inaugurated in 2022, will not be impacted. The Rethel production site "constitutes a major asset for future development and is not concerned by the safeguard procedure".

The company said that the decision "is part of EAP Group's desire to give time to stabilize its financial situation, renegotiate its debt with its creditors while guaranteeing its operational continuity".

The company mentioned a particularly complicated economic context. "Access to financing has become more difficult by an uncertain economic context and investors hampered by the news in the sector and the announcements made recently by other industrial players". A similar procedure was followed by the French insect company Ynsect in September 2024.

This safeguarding procedure can last up to twelve months and protects companies that are not in a state of cessation of payments in order to allow them to resolve their difficulties and continue their activities.