Iconic French Fish Canner Saupiquet Closes Last French Plant, Shifts Production Abroad

A page is turning for this site that has marked the industrial landscape of Brittany for sixty years. But this closure raises concerns about the future of the brand in France. Indeed, the production of the Quimper plant will be relocated to Spain and Morocco, leaving the possibility of a total withdrawal of Saupiquet from French territory.

Founded in 1891, the Saupiquet brand reached its peak a century later with 2,000 employees spread across ten production sites in France, recalls France Info. However, the situation deteriorated from the 1990s onwards, marked by successive plant closures. Acquired by the Italian Bolton Food, the Quimper plant had already been operating at a slow pace in recent months.

The closure leaves 150 employees out on the street. Despite the sadness and concern, the unions ensure that the departure negotiations are proceeding calmly. Ten employees will retire, five will be offered positions in Spain or Italy, and a job forum will be organized.