JBS reaching for Europe: Meat giant sees takeover potential

The growth strategy of JBS, the world's leading meat company, is increasingly focusing on the European market. Wesley Batista, the main shareholder of the company, which is now listed on the New York Stock Exchange, views the European meat industry as 'fragmented' and therefore full of acquisition opportunities. Batista made this assessment during a live broadcast event. Together with Marcos Molina, the main shareholder of rival companies such as Marfrig and BRF, Batista answered questions about the dominance of certain Brazilian companies in the global meat trade. Batista expressed confidence that Europe offers many opportunities for acquisitions, while similar expansion efforts in the USA and Brazil are largely ruled out due to regulatory concerns. JBS's listing in New York expands access to investors and reduces capital costs, giving the company a competitive advantage over competitors like Tyson in the USA. In the USA and Brazil, however, mergers are complicated by competition authorities, as JBS already holds significant market shares there. Interestingly, Batista also sees the increasing demand for proteins driven by the increased use of drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic as an advantage for the food industry. He reported that about 15 million Americans regularly take such medications, although exact data on the impact on meat demand is still pending.