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Our story begins with a seed of shared purpose,

passed on from generation to generation.

Company Timeline

Key Milestones in LDC’s Journey

Fulfilling a Human and Economic Need

Léopold Louis-Dreyfus travels from France to Switzerland, a country with interesting prospects for a budding food production industry, to make his first sale of grain and establish his business.

1851

Fulfilling a Human and Economic Need

Léopold Louis-Dreyfus travels from France to Switzerland, a country with interesting prospects for a budding food production industry, to make his first sale of grain and establish his business.

The Promise of Europe’s Breadbasket

Léopold recognizes opportunities for higher profitability by expanding his range of commercial activities, and buys grain from Hungary and Romania to sell in Western Europe. By the 1870s, his company is one of the few to have reached a continental scale.

1880

1919

The Promise of Europe’s Breadbasket

Léopold recognizes opportunities for higher profitability by expanding his range of commercial activities, and buys grain from Hungary and Romania to sell in Western Europe. By the 1870s, his company is one of the few to have reached a continental scale.

New Ventures in the Americas

The company enters Argentina, Brazil and Canada, with more than 1,000 representatives buying corn, wheat, barley, oats and oilseeds from local farmers at harvest time, shipping them around the world to meet global demand, and contributing immensely to local economies.

1920

1960s

New Ventures in the Americas

The company enters Argentina, Brazil and Canada, with more than 1,000 representatives buying corn, wheat, barley, oats and oilseeds from local farmers at harvest time, shipping them around the world to meet global demand, and contributing immensely to local economies.

Growth Through New Activities

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the company increases its direct involvement in agricultural activities across cotton, sugar, citrus and coffee, expanding origination and marketing activities, and adding citrus and oilseeds processing to a growing value chain.

1970s

1999

Growth Through New Activities

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the company increases its direct involvement in agricultural activities across cotton, sugar, citrus and coffee, expanding origination and marketing activities, and adding citrus and oilseeds processing to a growing value chain.

Becoming the Value Chain

Increasingly, we are adding more value to agricultural goods ourselves, moving further downstream on the journey from producer to consumer. In doing so, we stand by our commitment to fair and sustainable value creation, responding to demand for a seamless, traceable and responsible value chain from farmer to customer and consumer.

2000+

Becoming the Value Chain

Increasingly, we are adding more value to agricultural goods ourselves, moving further downstream on the journey from producer to consumer. In doing so, we stand by our commitment to fair and sustainable value creation, responding to demand for a seamless, traceable and responsible value chain from farmer to customer and consumer.

Want to learn more?

We chart LDC’s evolution from a one-person enterprise to a global agribusiness, that now originates, processes and transports some 100 million tons of products annually across more than 100 countries.

See full timeline

Our Founders

A Family Legacy

Over five generations, Louis-Dreyfus family leaders have been the constant stewards of a growing business that has developed into a major global company.

1851

Léopold Louis-Dreyfus

1915

Charles & Louis Louis-Dreyfus

1940

François, Jean & Pierre Louis-Dreyfus

1969

Gérard Louis-Dreyfus

2006+

Robert & Margarita Louis-Dreyfus

Museum

Travel in Time

Take an immersive, 360-degree tour around our virtual museum, which brings to life LDC’s 175-year history over decades of extraordinary world change, into the present.

Explore the Museum

Remembering Other Global Milestones

80 years in Brazil

30 years in General Lagos, Argentina

10 years in Honduras

20 years in Indonesia

50 years in China