Crowdfunding, the tip of a cider maker from the Pays d’Auge to take over a farm

The company was looking for a cider project and Antoine Marois was looking for a financing solution. They reached an agreement and Hectarea launched the call for investors in mid-November. “It was closed just before Christmas,” recalls the farmer. It’s impressive to resolve this in a little over a month. 136 people invested, for €176,000 raised. » A majority of small French carriers, since you can participate from €500. This inflow of money “is decisive, especially in a period, between the end of the harvest and bottling, where cash flow is less important due to labor”, explains Antoine Marois, who will complete the sum by a personal contribution. This month of January, he will be able to finalize the family transfer while remaining a tenant of the land and without having brought in an external partner to the capital of the farm.

136 individuals purchased part of the land

Individuals who have invested will receive rent proportional to their investment. Ultimately, Antoine Marois plans to buy back this land, when he has replenished his cash flow. But this participatory financing approach has the merit of providing reactive financing when the need arises. “For me, it’s one of the solutions for transmissions,” says the cider maker. When we set up, there are big financial needs, for equipment, buildings, stocks. I think we should be able to postpone the repurchase of land until later. Otherwise, it’s hard to make the business profitable and you could find yourself in difficulty. »

At around €10,000 per hectare in the Pays d’Auge, a fairly high amount, Antoine Marois would have found himself in a dead end. However, he is keen to preserve the artisanal and family model of his structure. On its website, Hectarea says it “pays particular attention to sustainable agricultural projects”, in its desire to “reconnect individuals with farmers who care about doing good”. 136 investors will savor the bubbles of the Pays d’Auge and the development projects of their cider tenant a little differently.