Apollo Funds to Acquire Prosol Group, a Leading French Fresh Food Retailer
Rhea-AI Summary
Apollo (NYSE: APO) agreed to acquire a majority stake in Prosol Group from Ardian, with Prosol management and existing shareholders reinvesting alongside the Apollo Funds. Prosol is a French fresh-food retailer operating nearly 450 stores under banners including Grand Frais and Fresh., and works with over 2,300 partners to source fresh produce.
The company runs additional retail brands (La Boulangerie du Marché, mon-marché.fr, BioFrais, Banco Fresco in Italy). The deal, advised by UBS, RBC and Lazard, is subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q2 2026. Apollo reports about €14 billion invested with French companies across its strategies.
Positive
- Majority stake acquisition by Apollo Funds
- Management and existing shareholders reinvest alongside buyer
- Prosol operates ~450 stores across France
- Supply chain with > 2,300 partners for premium produce
- Transaction expected to close in Q2 2026
Negative
- Transaction subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions
- No purchase price disclosed in the announcement
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
APO’s -0.82% move came alongside declines in key asset-management peers: BAM -1.61%, BN -1.93%, ARES -0.97%, KKR -2.16%, AMP -1.2%, pointing to broader sector pressure rather than a deal-specific uptick.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 08 | Sports investment | Positive | -0.5% | Apollo Sports Capital took a minority stake in Wrexham AFC for stadium financing. |
| Dec 02 | Conference appearance | Positive | +0.5% | CEO scheduled for a fireside chat at a major Goldman Sachs financial conference. |
| Nov 24 | Distribution partnership | Positive | +0.1% | Axxes Capital collaboration to distribute Bridge-managed vehicles via retail platforms. |
| Nov 19 | Energy partnership | Positive | +2.3% | Granite Source Power and Great Bay Renewables formed a partnership on storage projects. |
| Nov 18 | Logistics acquisition | Positive | -0.0% | Bridge Logistics Properties acquired a 1.1M sq ft Inland Empire distribution facility. |
Recent APO-related news, including partnerships and acquisitions, has generally produced modest price reactions, with mostly small gains and one mild negative divergence.
Over the last few months, APO-linked headlines have focused on strategic investments and partnerships. Events include a minority investment in Wrexham AFC (Dec 8), a conference appearance announcement (Dec 2), collaborations in alternatives and energy solutions (Nov 24, Nov 19), and a large logistics facility acquisition (Nov 18). Price reactions around these items have mostly been modest, suggesting incremental rather than transformational impact, a backdrop for today’s Prosol acquisition announcement.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds a European fresh food retail platform to Apollo-managed funds’ portfolio, with Prosol operating nearly 450 stores and working with over 2,300 partners. In context of prior acquisitions in logistics, data centers and renewables, it continues a strategy of sector and geographic diversification. Investors may watch for deal closing in Q2 2026, any disclosed financial terms, and updates on expansion plans and integration execution.
Key Terms
regulatory approvals regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Investment Supports Growth of Prosol’s Proprietary Fresh Food Model and Distinctive Customer Proposition
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Apollo-managed funds (the “Apollo Funds”) have agreed to acquire a majority stake in Prosol Group (“Prosol” or the “Company”), the multi-specialist in fresh food businesses and food retail in France, from Ardian. Prosol’s existing shareholders and management team will reinvest alongside the Apollo Funds.
Founded in 1992, Prosol has differentiated itself by building a proprietary, vertically integrated supply chain, sourcing fresh, quality products resulting in a highly loyal and fast-growing customer base. Prosol operates nearly 450 stores across France under two main banners: Grand Frais, where it provides the fruits, vegetables, dairy and fish; and Fresh., a fully owned chain of stores that sell fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, and meat. By working with over 2,300 partners to source premium produce and focusing on best-in-class in-store experiences, Prosol’s retail concept has developed a leading position among customers, with Grand Frais achieving high consumer sentiment in France. Prosol’s portfolio of retail brands also includes La Boulangerie du Marché, mon-marché.fr, BioFrais, and Banco Fresco in Italy.
Alex van Hoek, Lead Partner for European Private Equity at Apollo, said, “Prosol is a clear category leader in fresh food retail, with a powerful customer proposition and outstanding sourcing model. Under the leadership of Jean-Paul, the Company has demonstrated consistent organic growth over time, providing shoppers with exceptional quality products, breadth of assortment and strong value for money. As Prosol looks to expand its estate both in France and internationally, Apollo will draw on our extensive retail expertise to support the management team’s growth plans while maintaining the distinctive identity beloved by customers.”
Jean-Paul Mochet, Chief Executive Officer at Prosol, said, “This investment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Prosol and is testament to not only the strength of our business, but also the deep relationships we have formed with our suppliers and customers. With the support and expertise of such a strong partner in Apollo, we are well-positioned to achieve our long-term growth ambitions and bring our distinctive retail concept to more customers across Europe.”
Apollo’s private equity business has a long and successful track record of transforming businesses spanning more than 35 years, including significant experience in the retail and consumer sector. Apollo has been actively investing in France for more than two decades and today has about
The transaction is subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in Q2 2026.
UBS AG served as lead financial advisor to the Apollo Funds, while Royal Bank of Canada and Lazard also served as financial advisors. Sidley Austin LLP, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP served as legal counsel on the transaction.
About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2025, Apollo had approximately
About Prosol
A leading player in specialised food retail in France, PROSOL has been developing an integrated, fresh-food-focused model for more than 30 years. By exercising full control over the value chain — from agricultural sourcing to distribution — the company ensures freshness, quality and traceability, in support of better eating for all.
Designed as a true infrastructure dedicated to taste, PROSOL’s model is built on long-term partnerships with carefully selected producers, in-house expertise in product enhancement and maturation, proprietary production facilities, and a dedicated, high-performance logistics network.
With nearly 450 points of sale, PROSOL operates a portfolio of complementary retail brands, including Grand Frais, fresh., La Boulangerie du Marché, mon-marché.fr, BioFrais, and Banco Fresco in Italy. Within Grand Frais stores, the company directly operates the fruit and vegetable, fish, dairy and cheese departments, as well as butchery departments in the Paris region and Eastern France.
Apollo Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com / EuropeanMedia@apollo.com
FAQ
What did Apollo (APO) announce about Prosol on December 16, 2025?
How many stores does Prosol operate and under which brands?
Will Prosol management keep an ownership stake after the Apollo (APO) transaction?
When is the Apollo-Prosol transaction expected to close and what conditions remain?
What scale of Apollo’s activity in France did the announcement cite?
