JBS has sent its first shipment of beef to Vietnam as the Brazilian meat giant looks to tap into the “strategic” market in South East Asia.
Publicly listed JBS said in a statement that 27 tonnes of beef left its Mozarlândia factory in Brazil on Saturday (5 July). The site, which produces the company’s Friboi meat brand, was recently approved for authorisation to ship to Vietnam, along with its facility in Goiânia.
“The opening of the Vietnamese market represents more than the entry into a new commercial destination: it is a strategic move by JBS in Asia, a region with growing demand for animal protein and economic prominence,” the company said.
A ceremony held in Rio de Janeiro, attended by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture Carlos Fávaro, marked the first shipment of Brazilian meat to Vietnam.
Marcela Rocha, JBS’ executive director of corporate affairs, highlighted the relevance of opening up Vietnam to Brazil: “Being present in this market is positive for the entire national agribusiness chain: rural producers, industries, suppliers and workers.”
Rocha added: “It is a sector that represents 20% of GDP, generates employment and moves regional economies.”
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By GlobalDataJBS said in the statement that with a population exceeding 101 million inhabitants, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO), Vietnam imported about 300,000 tons of beef and buffalo in 2024, aimed at domestic consumption by an expanding middle class.
It added that Vietnam’s GDP growth is estimated to be at 7.6% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2024, meaning the country is now one of the “most promising markets in South East Asia for animal proteins”.
JBS noted that “sustained growth and accelerated urbanisation is expected to further drive demand in the coming years and positions Brazil as a strategic supplier to serve this market”.
The meat giant said in March it had earmarked $100m to invest in Vietnam with a plan to build two facilities to supply the local market and the rest of South East Asia.
Under the first phase of the project, a facility will be constructed in Khu công nghiệp Nam Đình Vũ located in the city of Hải Phòng in north-east Vietnam. It will include a logistics centre with storage facilities, along with “pre-processing, cutting and packaging activities”.
As part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Vietnamese government, the second site will be built in the south of the country in an unspecified location. It will be similar in operation to the first, with construction likely to start two years after production begins at the initial plant.
