A new biorefinery dedicated to sweet clover processing opened on June 18, 2025, in Viapres-le-Grand, France, marking a significant step forward for the sweet clover industry. The facility, Multifolia, aims to unlock the potential of this legume for applications in animal health, agriculture, cosmetics, and wellness.
Pascale Gombault, a driving force behind the project, describes herself as deeply connected to the land and passionate about rural life. She believes the biorefinery represents the culmination of efforts to develop a bioeconomic sector centered around sweet clover. “I transmit this peasant heritage, and build this vision of a positive and profitable agriculture,” Gombault said. “Because I have a remarkably committed discourse on the fact that I am against the financialization of agriculture as we are currently experiencing it.”
Gombault’s journey began with a background in animal nutrition, working with international groups before transitioning to entrepreneurship in 2005. After initially balancing farming with commercial work, she became focused on sweet clover when a fellow farmer suggested exploring its potential as an alternative to alfalfa. “When I got home that evening, I did some internet research and realized there was something to be done,” she explained. She quickly found a partner, also with an agricultural background, who shared her vision.
The path to establishing the Sainfolia cooperative, founded in 2015, wasn’t without challenges, but Gombault credits the collective motivation and strength of the group for its success. Today, the cooperative includes 90 members cultivating 900 hectares of sweet clover, focusing on adding value to the product and ensuring fair compensation for farmers. They also produce high-quality honey.
Sweet Clover’s Broad Potential
After years of decline due to intensive agriculture, traditional knowledge surrounding sweet clover is being revived. Following the purchase of a facility in 2023, research, European approvals in 2024 for vine applications, and the creation of a laboratory and biorefinery, Multifolia is now fully operational. The company employs two people in research and development, focusing on innovation and a disruptive approach to sweet clover utilization.
“We produce sweet clovers and store them. We perform biochemical and metabolomic analyses to determine their best applications,” Gombault explained. “This variability of destination is a source of added value.” One example is the Vitifolia line, which received European approval as a nematicide for use in vineyards, and Equifolia, designed for equine nutrition and parasite control. A thesis on the equine applications cost €300,000, reflecting the company’s investment in scientific rigor, with similar research underway for applications in sheep, cattle, and rabbit farming.
“Sweet clover is a package of services for French agriculture.”
Multifolia, meaning “multiple properties in the leaves,” prioritizes value over volume and emphasizes the importance of long-term vision and resilience. This strategy allows for diversification and future growth, potentially including cosmetics. “Multifolia and the Sainfolia cooperative are primarily interested in the value derived from our fields and their environmental value,” Gombault stated.
Building a Community of “Sweet Clover Babies”
Gombault is dedicated to intergenerational knowledge transfer and honoring the memory of her grandmother, who always kept sweet clover seeds. She discovered the plant’s importance even as reading letters her grandfather, a prisoner of war in Germany, sent to his wife, in which he frequently mentioned sweet clover. “In all the letters, there was the word sweet clover! It was a valuable element on my grandparents’ farm,” she said.
Now, Gombault aims to create a community of “sweet clover babies” – connecting young people raised with sweet clover to foster collaboration and innovation. She is already engaging with students, including those in master’s programs and those pursuing careers in animal nutrition, and even a student from Canada researching similar extraction technologies. “We inspire them,” Gombault said. “This community of sweet clover babies will allow these young people from all walks of life to get to realize each other and work together to drive a dynamic of collective intelligence.”
Gombault actively promotes the sweet clover industry, seeking recognition for Multifolia at the European level, developing new products, and participating in conferences and trade shows. She will be attending the Paris International Agricultural Show in 2026 with Sainfolia and sweet clover honey, demonstrating the health benefits of sweet clover consumption. Outside of her work with sweet clover, Gombault also manages 15 hectares of Blanquette de Limoux vineyards and a conifer nursery with over 600 miniature tree varieties, emphasizing her commitment to biodiversity and connecting with nature. “My walks in nature, between Cathar and Champagne paths, with my dog Semba, where I find inspiration and strength, reconnecting me with the diversity of life to better tolerate the diversity of human ambitions.”
