Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, said on Thursday it had offered to help U.S. health officials distribute COVID-19 vaccines and store them in ultra-cold freezers that are in high demand to support a public vaccination campaign. U.S. states, cities and hospitals are scrambling to buy freezers that can safely […] Read more
U.S. pork packer Smithfield offers ultra-cold vaccine storage
COVID-19 vaccines need storage at -20 C, -70 C
JBS gears up for U.S. and Brazil expansions
Brazilian meat giant reiterates plans following strong Q3 results
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Food processor JBS SA reiterated plans to grow production capacity in Brazil and in the United States after posting strong third quarter results, executives said in a conference call to discuss earnings on Thursday. CEO Gilberto Tomazoni said 12 of the company’s plants in Brazil were being expanded, as JBS […] Read more
JBS to seek damages from founders
Brazil shareholder vote a win for Brazil's BNDES
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Shareholders in JBS SA on Friday cleared the way for the Brazilian food processor to sue its own controlling stakeholders and certain former managers, a rare victory for shareholder activism in Latin America’s largest economy. The vote was a win for JBS’s top minority shareholder, national development bank BNDES, which […] Read more
Pilgrim’s Pride strikes deal over U.S. chicken price-fixing charges
Reuters — U.S. poultry company Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. said Wednesday it will pay a US$110.5 million fine after striking a plea deal with the Justice Department over price-fixing charges on chicken products. The guilty plea makes Pilgrim’s Pride, mostly owned by Brazilian meatpacker JBS, the first U.S. chicken company to reach an agreement with the […] Read more
JBS parent pleads guilty to U.S. foreign bribery charges
New York/Rio de Janeiro | Reuters — Brazil’s J+F Investimentos, parent company of the world’s largest meatpacker, JBS, pleaded guilty to U.S. foreign bribery charges and agreed to pay US$128.25 million in criminal fines, prosecutors said on Wednesday. J+F is paying only half of the $256.5 million fines levied due to settlements made with Brazilian […] Read more
JBS vows to monitor whole cattle supply chain’s impact on Amazon
Packer plans to move against cattle 'laundering'
Sao Paulo | Reuters — JBS SA, the world’s top meatpacker, said Wednesday it plans to combat destruction in the Amazon by monitoring its entire supply chain for deforestation by 2025, as pressure mounts from environmentalists and investors. Brazilian meatpackers are facing increasing criticism that beef production is fueling deforestation in the Amazon, where cleared […] Read more
U.S.-bound truckload of Alberta beef disappears
Over $230,000 in JBS beef hasn't turned up, RCMP says
A reefer truck loaded with over $230,000 in beef from the JBS plant at Brooks, Alta. is more than two weeks overdue and alleged to be travelling on “fraudulent documents,” RCMP say. Brooks RCMP said Monday they’re investigating after a transport truck that was subcontracted to haul a full load of beef from the JBS […] Read more
JBS to resume U.S. share listing plan after COVID-19 fallout
Management looking also for US$100 million in cost cuts
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s JBS SA is reviving plans to list shares on Wall Street after dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic’s fallout, CEO Gilberto Tomazoni said on Friday, as the world’s largest meatpacker reported strong quarterly results. Speaking on a conference call with analysts following the company’s second-quarter results, Tomazoni said the focus […] Read more
JBS invests $19-million in safety measures amid COVID-19 pandemic
Sao Paulo | Reuters –Brazilian food processor JBS SA has invested more than 100 million reais ($19.3 million) in health, safety and contingency measures at all its Brazilian production units, according to a Wednesday company statement that comes as the novel coronavirus continues to ravage local meat plants. The company said the funds were invested […] Read more
U.S. meatpackers try air cleaning tech after COVID-19 outbreaks
Chicago | Reuters — Two of the world’s largest meatpackers said on Friday they have installed ultraviolet air cleaning equipment in some U.S. plants, as pressure mounts on food companies to protect workers amid growing concerns about airborne transmission of the coronavirus. JBS USA, owned by Brazil’s JBS SA and one of four major U.S. […] Read more