Marfrig, ADM Launch PlantPlus Foods

In Illinois, Marfrig and ADM announced the completion of regulatory approvals and the launch of PlantPlus Foods, a joint venture that will offer a wide range of finished plant-based food products across North and South America, backed by unmatched technology, scale and experience. The Chicago-based joint venture will serve customers with a focus on North and South America, with the ability to reach other global markets.

What’s happening now, and next steps: Marfrig, one of the world’s leading beef producers and the world’s largest beef patty producer, owns 70 percent of the venture; ADM, a leading global nutrition company, is a 30 percent owner. Marfrig will be responsible for finished product production and distribution, utilizing its facilities in South America, mainly in Várzea Grande, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, and its facilities in the United States. ADM will supply innovative technical expertise, application development and an array of plant-based ingredients, flavors and systems from its specialty protein complex in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, and its network of U.S.-based ingredient and flavor facilities, including its new pea protein plant in Enderlin, North Dakota.

The backstory: Marfrig is responsible for managing 13 production units in Brazil, which produce ready-to-eat products such as canned beef, beef jerky, sauces and sachets. These products are sold in the domestic market through the retail, wholesale and foodservice channels and exported to around 100 countries. Marfrig also has 5 production units in Argentina, where it is the country’s leader in the production and sales of beef patties. In Uruguay, it operates 5 units and is the country’s largest cattle processor and beef exporter. In Chile, Marfrig is the leading importer of beef and operates a lamb primary processing unit, which serves numerous countries. National Beef, a Marfrig subsidiary located in the United States, exports to over 30 countries and has daily processing capacity of 13,100 head of cattle. The company operates 3 cattle processing units, 5 beef processing units, 1 tannery and one of the world’s largest beef patty plants, located in Ohio.

Why Big? ADM needed to get into the plant-based foods revolution, they took their time, but are going big with this partnership.