Abstract
The history of the group was based on an external growth, a successions of sell and acquisitions, indeed, if we follow the major step of the company, we could see that, the first step was the merger between BSN and DANONE-GERVAIS in 1973 this merger was the beginning of the future group and create the first French food company. In 1979, consequently to the financial crisis, BSN-GERVAIS-DANONE stop it glassmaker activity. It was the very beginning of the external growth, indeed, between 1979 and 1985, the group acquires 6 companies, Amora, Maille, La Pie qui chante, Carambar, Liebig et Vandamme. In 1987, the group acquires the group Général Biscuit which own the LU brand, and in 1989, the DANONE group acquire all the affiliated companies of Nabisco. Consequently to this external growth, the turnover of BSN-GERVAIS-DANONE triple and pass from 16,5 Billion of Franc at 48,7 billions of Francs. The next major step before that Franck Riboud succeeds to his father was the acquisition of the Volvic Water in 1993.
