Marfrig, one of the world’s leading beef producers and the world’s largest beef patty producer, together with Big Food giant Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM) has announced a venture to launch a brand called PlantPlus Foods with products to be released in Brazil including food service clients such as Burger King.
“Marfrig’s production and distribution capacity and its experience and know-how in working with high-quality meat, combined with ADM’s technical and development excellence and its industry-leading plant-based ingredient and natural flavors portfolio, will provide our new joint venture unparalleled scale and singular expertise for offering plant-based products of the highest quality,” said Marcos Molina, founder and chairman of Marfrig.
“PlantPlus Foods will be ready from day one to meet customer needs in this fast-growing market,” added Molina.
Marfrig and ADM plan to launch the new company and start operations as soon as required regulatory approvals have been received. “The first plant-based burgers produced under the partnership will reach the Brazilian market by the end of this year, with exports following later. In this first phase of the launch, the products will be supplied to foodservice clients such as Burger King,” states the press release.
Marfrig and ADM already have a successful history working together to develop and produce sustainable, plant-based foods including the 2019 collaboration to produce and distribute plant-based burgers. Marfrig will initially own 70 percent of PlantPlus Foods, with ADM owning the remaining 30 percent. Marfrig will be responsible for production and distribution, utilizing its facilities in both South America and the United States.
ADM will supply technical expertise, application development, and an array of plant-based ingredients, flavors, and systems from its specialty protein complex in Brazil’s Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, and its network of US-based ingredient and flavor facilities. It’s newest facility is a pea protein plant in Enderlin, North Dakota. While the joint venture will focus primarily on North and South America, it will have the ability to serve customers in other global markets.
“The demand for proteins, from both plants and animals, is growing across the globe, and Marfrig and ADM will continue individually to help meet those needs in all the ways we do today,” added Molina.
