Being a buyer at SOAL while chairing a European organization is a demanding journey, driven by collective commitment. Nicolas Coudry-Mesny, Purchasing Manager and President of Eurofac, has just been appointed President of FEFAC (the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation), becoming the first French national to hold the position in twenty years. He shares with us the outlines of this new role and the key challenges facing the sector.
Can you briefly explain your role as a buyer at SOAL?
At SOAL, purchasing involves analyzing markets in order to buy raw materials at the right time, at the right price, while ensuring quality—these are the fundamentals of the profession. It requires constant monitoring of highly reactive and international markets. It is also a collective effort: we work closely with internal teams (production, nutrition, quality) to secure supplies and meet the company’s needs. This represents a volume of 650,000 tonnes per year, worth €220 million.
What is FEFAC?
Founded in 1959, with France among its founding members, FEFAC is the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation. It brings together professional organizations from most European countries: 27 members, representing 152 million tonnes of feed produced across Europe, with a presence in every country.
FEFAC serves as the voice of the animal nutrition sector before European institutions. Although its offices are located in Brussels, opposite the European Commission, its role is not political. Its primary mission is to provide industry and operational expertise to support European decision-making and its practical implementation in the field—where there is often much work to be done.
Today, the main challenges are sustainability, sovereignty, and competitiveness. At the heart of agriculture, the sector adds value to co-products, supports livestock industries, and helps address Europe’s environmental and strategic independence challenges. The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the integration of Ukraine will also be major issues at the center of this mandate.
How did you become President of this organization?
It was a gradual process built through involvement in collective initiatives, first in France and then at the European level. As a buyer, I became involved early on in working groups focused on raw materials and quality before representing French feed manufacturers in Europe from 2017 onward.
I then became President of Eurofac in 2021, the organization representing French animal nutrition stakeholders at the European level. This role enabled me to strengthen my involvement in European issues and exchanges with institutions.
This experience and commitment led me to run for the presidency of FEFAC. The election took place during the 31st Congress held in Bucharest on May 19–20.
Specifically, what is your role and what do you hope to achieve during your term?
We do not write laws, but we work with European institutions to ensure that regulations are practical and adapted to realities on the ground. Our role is to provide operational expertise, engage with European bodies, and above all find balance between interests that may sometimes differ from one country to another.
This requires extensive dialogue, education, and consensus-building. The objective of my mandate is clear: to help strengthen European livestock sectors and support their long-term development. This includes key issues such as sustainability, food sovereignty, and competitiveness, in order to support the entire agricultural sector and provide concrete solutions to its major challenges.
How will you balance this mandate with your responsibilities at SOAL?
I can rely on a strong purchasing team, including Olivier Carpentier, Grégory Grange, and Antoine Daguerre, as well as an experienced procurement team. This is a major asset in ensuring continuity.
At the same time, I benefit from the support of senior management, which also recognizes the value of this collective commitment.
In practical terms, around 30% to 40% of my time will be dedicated to FEFAC, involving regular travel. However, I will remain actively involved in my responsibilities, particularly soybean meal purchasing and the oilseed processing activities of Graines d’Alliance.
This organization, made possible through teamwork, is also an opportunity to bring a broader perspective that benefits SOAL.
Any advice for colleagues who would like to get involved?
Getting involved in collective actions is extremely rewarding, whether in crisis management or in building long-term strategies. You need to rely on your operational expertise, remain aligned with the company’s objectives—and be bold, even internationally and therefore in English!