Belgian retailer Colruyt Group has confirmed exclusive negotiations with Carrefour over a possible sale of Codifrance, its French grocery wholesale business, in an announcement dated 9 October 2026.

Codifrance supplies around 3,000 independent and affiliated convenience stores in France. The talks could therefore have consequences for grocery sourcing, private-label availability and distribution to thousands of neighbourhood retailers.

Colruyt stressed that exclusive negotiations do not mean the businesses have reached a binding sale agreement or that a transaction will necessarily be completed. Any final deal would remain subject to the necessary discussions, employee information and consultation procedures and applicable regulatory approvals.

Codifrance supplies more than 800 affiliated stores operating under the Panier Sympa, Épi Service and VivÉco formats and the licensed Coccinelle and Coccimarket names. It also serves around 2,200 other independent customers. Its range includes dry grocery, fresh food and frozen products, as well as national brands and private label.

The business generated approximately €310 million in revenue in Colruyt Group’s 2025/26 financial year. Its growth has been supported by the acquisition of Degrenne Distribution in 2023, expanding its French convenience-distribution network.

The commercial significance is wider than a potential change in ownership. A new owner could ultimately reshape procurement relationships, logistics investment and the assortment available to affiliated and independent retailers. However, neither group has confirmed supplier-contract changes, store conversions or a revised distribution model, so such outcomes remain possible implications rather than agreed plans.

For Carrefour, the attraction would be the chance to strengthen its position in France’s fragmented convenience-retail market. For Colruyt, the negotiations follow its withdrawal from directly operated French food retail stores and a reassessment of how best to support Codifrance’s growth.

The transaction remains uncertain, and no agreed price has been announced. Colruyt has said it will communicate further developments in line with applicable disclosure requirements.

GTN previously reported on Colruyt Group’s warehouse robotics partnership with KION, another example of its work across grocery distribution and logistics.