Brazil: Tyson Foods to take 40% stake in Grupo Vibra

Tyson Foods, the US meat processor, has announced it has reached a deal to take a 40% stake in Brazilian poultry firm Grupo Vibra for an undisclosed sum.

Describing the deal as “part of its global growth strategy”, Tyson Foods said its stake in Grupo Vibra would give it more flexibility in serving customers in key global markets, noting that nearly 98% of protein consumption growth is expected to come from outside the USA in the next five years.

Headquartered in the town of Montenegro, in Rio Grande do Sul, Grupo Vibra also has operations in Parana and Minas Gerais, as well as a business unit in Dubai, and employs more than 4,000 staff. In the retail sphere, it markets a broad range of raw chicken products under the brand name Nat.

Commenting on the deal, Donnie King, group president, international & chief administration officer for Tyson Foods, said: “This investment will enable us to access poultry supplies in Brazil to meet the growing needs of Brazilian customers and of priority demand markets in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It’s part of our strategy to develop a more flexible supply chain and mitigate the volatility of our previous model, which relied primarily on U.S. exports”.

Source: Tyson Foods / Grupo Vibra