History | JBS USA

2018

JBS USA Sells Cattle Feeding Operations

JBS USA sells Five Rivers Cattle Feeding in a strategic move to allow more focus on the company's core food and value-added products businesses. Five Rivers will continue to supply cattle to JBS USA under a long-term supply agreement.

2017

Pilgrim's Acquires Moy Park

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation acquires Moy Park, a leading poultry and prepared foods supplier with operations in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. The purchase positioned Pilgrim's as the leading global player in the chicken business.

2017

Plumrose USA Acquisition

JBS USA reaches an agreement with Danish Crown A/S to acquire the company's U.S.-based bacon, ham and deli meat business, Plumrose USA. The acquisition includes five prepared foods facilities and two distribution centers.

2017

Pilgrim’s Acquires GNP Company

Pilgrim’s acquires GNP Company, a leading provider of premium branded chicken products in the upper Midwest. The transaction includes two poultry processing facilities in Cold Spring, MN, and Arcadia, WI, as well as a value-added processing facility in Luverne, MN.

2016

JBS Gains Controlling Interest in Scott Technology Ltd.

JBS SA gains a controlling 50.1 percent stake in Dunedin, New Zealand-based Scott Technology Ltd., an automated technologies manufacturer. Scott Technology manufactures automated lamb deboning and beef and lamb deboning systems, among other technologies.

2015

JBS USA Acquires Cargill’s Pork Business

JBS USA acquires Cargill’s pork business, including two pork processing plants in Ottumwa, Iowa, and Beardstown, Ill.; five feed mills – two in Missouri and one each in Arkansas, Iowa and Texas; and four hog farms – two in Arkansas and one each in Oklahoma and Texas.

2015

JBS Acquires UK-based Moy Park

A leading provider of fresh, locally farmed poultry and innovative convenience products. Moy Park is one of the UK’s top 15 food companies, Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business and one of Europe’s leading poultry producers.

2015

Pilgrim's Acquires Tyson De Mexico

Pilgrim’s acquires Tyson do Mexico, which includes three vertically integrated processing facilities in Citra, Porvenir and Popular.

2015

JBS® Australia Acquires Primo Smallgoods Group

JBS Australia acquires the global operations of Primo Smallgoods Group, a leader in the Australian and New Zealand markets for processed products such as ham, sausages and bacon, and well-known brands including Primo Smallgoods, Hans, Beehive, Hunter Valley Quality Meats and Primo Quality Meats.

2014

JBS® Australia Acquires Majority Shareholding of Andrews Meat Industries

JBS Australia acquires majority shareholding in Sydney based Andrews Meat Industries, a family owned company and has provided total red meat solutions to the food service industry for over 40 years.

2014

JBS® USA Expands Case Ready Presence

In 2014, JBS USA assumed full operation of the Alex Lee case ready meat processing facility in Lenoir, NC, and acquired the Fresh & Easy case ready meat facility in Riverside, California.

2014

JBS® S.A. Acquires Tyson do Brasil

The acquisition involves 3 fully integrated production plants, two in the state of Santa Catarina and one in the state of Parana.

2014

JBS® S.A. Recognized by Bloomberg as Second Largest Packaged Food Company in the World

With more than $43 Billion in annual sales, JBS S.A. is ranked 2nd only to Nestle SA in global packaged food sales and outpaces competitors including Tyson Foods and PepsiCo.

2013

JBS® Acquires Zenda in Brazil

JBS acquires Zenda, a major leather processor based in Uruguay, with operations in Mexico, Argentina, Germany and South Africa, as well as a commercial office and distribution center in the United States. The acquisition of Zenda makes JBS the largest leather processor in the world, supplying products to the automotive, furniture, shoe, and clothing industries.

2013

JBS® Acquires Seara® in Brazil

JBS becomes the world's largest chicken producer with the acquisition of Seara, including 15 chicken units, one turkey unit, six pork units, 17 processed food units, and 19 distribution centers. The acquisition provided JBS with the daily processing capacity of 2.6 million chickens, 21,000 turkeys and 16,100 pigs in Brazil. In addition, JBS acquires processed food units with a capacity of 70,000 tons of product per month, including frozen meals, pizzas, lasagnas, hamburgers, sausages, bologna, and salami, as well as special cuts of pork and poultry.

2013

JBS® Acquires XL Foods in Canada

JBS marks its entry into the Canadian beef market with the acquisition of the XL Foods beef processing plant and Lakeside Feeders feedyard in Brooks, Alberta. The acquisition increased the company's daily beef processing by 4,000 head and the company's one-time feeding capacity by 75,000 head.

2013

JBS® S.A. Celebrates 60th Anniversary

2013 marked an historic milestone for JBS, celebrating 60 years of continuous improvement and growth. Importantly, 2013 also marked the 80th birthday of our founder, José Batista Sobrinho.

2012

Further Expansion in Brazil

In Brazil, annual beef processing capacity is expanded by 2 million head and JBS® entered the Brazilian poultry segment through the rental of Frangosul assets, thereby expanding its global production capacity in the poultry sector by 15%.

2012

Pilgrim's Pride® Share Increase

JBS increases its share in Pilgrim’s Pride, assuming 75.3% of its share capital.

2011

A Renewed Focus on Operations

The Board of Directors elects Wesley Batista as executive president and global CEO of JBS® S.A., replacing Joesley Batista who became Chairman of the Board for the Group. In addition, the company’s capital increases by $1.74 billion through a private issue of ordinary shares in exchange for convertible debentures.

2010

Rockdale Beef Acquisition

JBS® acquires Rockdale Beef in Australia.

2010

McElhaney Feedlot Acquisition

JBS® acquires McElhaney Feedyard in Wellton, Arizona, increasing its one-time feeding capacity by 130,000 head.

2010

Tatiara Meats Acquisition

JBS® acquires Tatiara Meats in Australia.

2009

Merger with Bertin in Brazil

JBS® increases its slaughter capacity by 5,150 head per day with the acquisition of five units in Brazil, and incorporated Bertin, which until then was the second-largest meat processing company in Brazil.

2009

JBS® Enters the U.S. Poultry Market

JBS acquires a controlling interest in Pilgrim's Pride Corporation ("PPC"), the second largest poultry company in the United States with operations in the U.S, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

2008

Five Rivers Acquisition

Through the Smithfield beef acquisition, JBS® also acquires Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, making the company the largest cattle feeder in the world.

2008

Smithfield Beef Acquisition

JBS® acquires the beef operations of Smithfield giving the company a presence in the U.S. regional beef processing business.

2008

Tasman Group Acquisition in Australia

JBS® expands its Australian footprint with the acquisition of Tasman Group.

2007

Welcome to the USA

JBS® expands its operations with the acquisition of Swift & Company in the United States, giving the company a presence in the U.S. and Australian beef, pork and lamb markets.

2007

JBS® S.A. IPO

JBS became the first Brazilian company in the animal protein sector to go public on the São Paulo stock exchange.

2001-2006

Growth Beyond Brazil into Argentina

During this period, JBS® expands operations to 21 plants in Brazil and five in Argentina, increasing its daily slaughter capacity to 19,900 head. In 2005, the company acquired 100% of Swift-Armour capital, Argentina’s largest beef producer and exporter.

1970-2001

Continued Growth Through Acquisition

JBS® significantly expands its operations in the beef sector in Brazil. Through acquisitions and investment in existing units, the company reaches a daily slaughter capacity of 5,800 head.

1970

Further Growth, Second Plant Incorporated

JBS® acquires the second beef processing plant, increasing daily capacity to 500 head.

1968

The First Acquisition

JBS® acquires its first meatpacking plant in Planaltina (DF).

1953

The Beginning

The history of JBS® dates back to 1953 in Anápolis, Goiás, in West Central Brazil. Our founder, José Batista "Zé Mineiro" Sobrinho, opens a small butcher shop - Casa De Carnes Mineira - with a capacity to process five head of livestock per day.