New French grant for agri-food businesses

The French government is launching a new strategic funding call aimed at strengthening and reinforcing the agri-food industry in France. This is part of an ambitious investment plan involving €54 billion to position France as a global leader in innovation. From fundamental research to industrialisation, the plan supports every stage of (technological) progress, with a particular focus on the “agri-food” industry.

Through the “Résilience et Capacités Agroalimentaires 2030” programme, the government aims to:

1. Strengthen food sovereignty by boosting domestic production and thus reducing dependence on imports.
2. Support companies in developing new industrial processing capacity.
3. Promote collaboration between stakeholders across the value chain (producers, industry, distribution) in the fields of technology and sustainability (agroecology). The objective is to make agricultural output more sustainable and to secure supply for the food industry, thereby making the value chain more resilient and sustainable.

What does the support involve?

Companies active in the agri-food value chain – from start-ups and SMEs to large corporations – may be eligible for public co-financing covering 20% to 40% of their eligible investments. This support consists of 60% in the form of a grant and 40% as a repayable loan.

Eligibility criteria

• Minimum project expenditure of €3 million per company.
• Projects must focus on industrial production and processing within the agri-food sector.
• Project duration between 24 and 48 months.

Eligible projects may involve modernisation, automation, sustainability upgrades or the expansion of existing industrial sites. Investments in entirely new industrial facilities on French territory within the agri-food industry are also fully eligible, provided that the conditions of this support scheme are met. This means that foreign investors wishing to establish operations in France can also benefit from this measure for their new projects.

Selection and deadlines

Projects will be assessed in two application rounds:

• First deadline: 30 September 2025
• Second deadline: 11 March 2026

Projects will be evaluated based on their economic and strategic impact, their contribution to French food sovereignty, and the quality and feasibility of the proposal.

Interested?

Are you considering investing in an industrial site or production capacity in France within the agri-food value chain? This is a unique opportunity to receive substantial public support for your project. Be prepared and ensure you are informed in good time about the programme’s requirements.

Contact our RFN experts for guidance with your application at the following email address: subsidies@rfn.fr