Slaughterhouses and Packing Plants
Minerva Foods: The Barretos Family Firm That Exports Beef to 100 Countries
A cattle-hauling family bought its first slaughterhouse in 1992 and built a beef business spanning five South American countries.
How did Minerva Foods begin?
According to the company's investor relations history page, the Vilela de Queiroz family began raising cattle and transporting it to slaughterhouses in 1957. In 1992 the family bought its first slaughterhouse, in Barretos, São Paulo, which is now the company's headquarters.
The same page, titled Minerva's history and corporate profile, describes the company as one of the South American leaders in fresh beef and its byproducts, selling through 15 sales offices and 14 distribution centers.
Building the Brazilian plant network
Between 1999 and 2007 the company added plants at José Bonifácio, Cajamar, Palmeiras de Goiás, Batayporã, Araguaína, Redenção and Rolim de Moura. From 2008 to 2012 it added Lord Meat in Goiás, Friasa in Paraguay, Campina Verde, PUL in Uruguay and Frigomerc in Paraguay.
The list shows plants in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and other Brazilian states, plus early steps into Paraguay and Uruguay.
What Made It Work
Minerva's growth rested on buying plants in many cattle regions and then using its own sales network to reach export markets. The company's timeline shows a sequence of acquisitions that built a South American footprint.
The record is mostly company-provided, so this profile treats the figures as the company's account, and the investor page remains the only source opened for this entry, found at the corporate profile page.
- Family continuity: the same family moved from cattle transport in 1957 to its first slaughterhouse in 1992.
- Regional spread: plants in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia.
- Export reach: sales to more than 100 countries through 15 sales offices and 14 distribution centers.
- Outside investment: the International Finance Corporation became a 3 percent shareholder in the 2013 to 2016 period.
- Major purchase: the 2017 acquisition of JBS Mercosur units in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina raised capacity by 52 percent.
- Limit to note: the source gives inconsistent totals, 26,380 or 26,180 head per day, and uses both 25 slaughterhouses and 26 production units.
Expansion across South America
From 2013 to 2016 the company added distribution centers, cattle units from BRF, Frigorífico Carrasco in Uruguay, a plant at Janaúba in Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso plants, Red Cárnica in Colombia, Expacar in Paraguay and Intermeat.
In 2017 it acquired the JBS Mercosur units in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, raising capacity by 52 percent. In 2018 it created Athena Foods in Chile to consolidate its international operations.
Where Minerva stands today
The company describes itself as one of the South American leaders in the production and sale of fresh beef and its byproducts. It reports 25 slaughterhouses across Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia, and export sales to more than 100 countries.
In 2019 it completed an asset exchange with Marfrig and signed a memorandum to form a joint venture in China.
Learn more
Minerva belongs to a group of Brazilian packers that also includes JBS and Marfrig. For the cattle side, farm.FM covers ranching, and a farm.FM story about South American beef adds background.
Timeline
- 1957Vilela de Queiroz family begins raising and transporting cattle
- 1992Buys its first slaughterhouse in Barretos, Sao Paulo
- 1999-2007Adds Brazilian plants including José Bonifácio and Araguaína
- 2011Acquires PUL in Uruguay
- 2012Acquires Frigomerc in Paraguay
- 2017Buys JBS Mercosur units, raising capacity by 52 percent
- 2018Creates Athena Foods in Chile
- 2019Asset exchange with Marfrig; China joint venture memorandum
Frequently asked questions
Where is Minerva Foods based?
Minerva Foods is headquartered in Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil, where the family bought its first slaughterhouse in 1992.
Where does Minerva operate?
It reports 25 slaughterhouses in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia, with exports to more than 100 countries.
Who founded Minerva Foods?
The Vilela de Queiroz family began raising and transporting cattle in 1957 and bought its first slaughterhouse in Barretos in 1992.
What did Minerva buy from JBS?
In 2017 Minerva acquired JBS Mercosur units in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, raising its capacity by 52 percent.
Sources and further reading
Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.
More from the hall
- 1953-presentJBS S.A.José Batista Sobrinho opened Casa de Carnes Mineira in Anápolis in 1953, and his company later bought Swift and became…Brazil
- est. 2000MarfrigMarcos Molina's company grew from a slaughterhouse purchase in Mato Grosso do Sul to a listed multinational with U.S.…Brazil
- 1889-1962Antonio Joaquim de Moura AndradeA trader from Sao Paulo state became the 'King of Cattle' by turning forest and river country into ranches, roads, a…Brazil
- livingDalton Dias HeringerA Nelore breeder from Espírito Santo whose herd has won state rankings and placed in national ACNB standings.Brazil
- livingJosé Batista SobrinhoFrom a one-room slaughterhouse in Goiás to Friboi and JBS, the story of the Brazilian butcher known as Zé Mineiro.Brazil
- 1886-1975Laucídio CoelhoA pioneer of southern Mato Grosso ranching who is remembered for enormous landholdings and for helping the region sell…Brazil