ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, chairperson of Louis Dreyfus Company Holdings B.V. (LDCH), on Nov. 7 announced that Akira B.V., the Group’s majority shareholder, has secured the arrangements necessary to buy out the minority shareholders who so desired.

“I am very pleased to have completed this process, reconfirming my commitment to safeguarding the Louis-Dreyfus heritage and shaping its long-term future,” Ms. Louis-Dreyfus said. “With a stable ownership structure secured, we are well positioned to accelerate the execution of our growth strategy.”

LDCH is the holding company of global merchant and processor of agricultural goods, Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC).

“As part of LDC’s long-term strategy, the goal of the past three years has been to refocus the priority on its core business,” Ms. Louis-Dreyfus said. “This goal has been successfully achieved, as we are on track for solid results in 2018 and beyond. Now, we can proceed to the next stage of our long-term vision, which is sustainable growth. We have a highly experienced management team in place and I am fully confident that we can deliver according to expectations.

“As we look to implement our ambitious growth plans, I also wish to keep all options open in terms of strategic partnerships, if appropriate for the business, always placing the interest of the company first.”

Ms. Louis-Dreyfus also confirmed that LDC does not intend to depart from its long-standing dividend practice, consisting of a payout of up to 50% of net earnings and ad hoc extraordinary dividends related to strategic divestments, subject — as usual — to the needs of the business.

LDC operates its business worldwide under two segments: Value Chain and Merchandizing. In 2018, the company modified the composition of its two segments. The Value Chain segment now includes the Juice, Grains and Oilseeds platforms, along with Freight and Global Markets (formerly called the Finance Platform). The Merchandizing segment now combines Sugar, Coffee, Cotton, Rice and Dairy.