As the food and bakery sector faces ongoing changes, supply chain expansions, and tighter regulations, food companies need stable, clear leadership and robust operational scale to keep production running smoothly.

Vandemoortele — a major European food producer with a 125-year history — has officially completed its union with French bakery group Délifrance following regulatory clearance from the European Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

​To support this massive expansion and ensure integration across its global footprint, Vandemoortele has also announced key changes to its executive committee, positioning the business for long-term manufacturing resilience and growth.

​Scale and expertise

​The combination of Vandemoortele’s existing bakery products business line and Délifrance brings together around 6,000 associates across 41 production sites in Europe, the United States, and Asia, generating a turnover close to EUR 2.2 billion.

Operating under the combined banner of Vandemoortele Délifrance, this alliance merges Vandemoortele’s robust operational strength and long-term business perspective with Délifrance’s specialized French bakery know-how, strong customer proximity, and recognized product portfolio of bread, viennoiserie, pastry, and savory items.

​For manufacturing partners, suppliers, and commercial customers, this union broadens the company’s production footprint and technical capabilities.

While the scale of operations has expanded exponentially, leadership has emphasized that continuity remains a top priority, ensuring that customers continue working with the same trusted teams while gaining access to enhanced investment capacity and wider product availability.

​Leadership restructuring 

​To successfully guide this combined network of plants and people, Vandemoortele is proactively evolving its executive committee. With Marc Croonen, the current chief human resources, sustainability, HSE & Communications Officer, preparing for his retirement in January 2027 after eight years of service, the company is dividing his responsibilities into two specialized, high-impact roles.

​Effective January 1, 2027, Eline Van Poeck will step into the role of chief human resources officer. Having spent the past year and a half aligning human resources strategies for upcoming integrations,

Van Poeck will lead global HR operations to ensure that production facilities across regions can successfully attract, train, and retain the skilled labor required to keep manufacturing lines fully staffed and operating efficiently.

​Simultaneously, Vandemoortele has created a new executive committee position: chief corporate responsibility officer. Nele Beirinckx, who brings 25 years of internal experience across multiple business lines and quality management roles, will take charge of product quality, factory health and safety, sustainability initiatives, and corporate communications. This consolidation ensures that strict quality and safety standards remain tightly enforced across all 41 manufacturing sites.

​Practical benefits 

​This dual evolution — merging with Délifrance and restructuring executive oversight — delivers several clear advantages for commercial partners on the plant floor and across the supply chain:

​First, placing an experienced quality leader like Nele Beirinckx at the executive level protects product consistency and manufacturing compliance. Because she understands the technical and data systems required across diverse production lines, food manufacturers and retail partners can rely on uniform, high-grade safety and quality standards.

​Second, Eline Van Poeck’s targeted focus on workforce development directly tackles labor stability, which is essential when coordinating operations across a massive international footprint. Maintaining a well-supported, engaged workforce helps prevent operational bottlenecks and keeps production output steady.

​Finally, the expanded scale of Vandemoortele Délifrance means partners gain access to deeper category insights, broader innovation pipelines, and a stronger network of regional production facilities, all backed by a family-owned company focused on long-term stability and sustainable growth.

​Looking ahead

​Vandemoortele’s union with Délifrance and its leadership reorganisation are designed to keep the company agile, reliable, and operationally sound as it scales up its manufacturing footprint.

By combining deep internal expertise with expanded global capabilities, Vandemoortele is proving that traditional craftsmanship and modern industrial scale can work hand in hand. For the broader manufacturing and bakery community, this transition highlights a practical commitment to keeping supply chains steady, products consistent, and operations resilient for the years ahead.