Brazil-based meat group JBS has booked a 29% jump in earnings for 2013 thanks to a domestic poultry acquisition and the “best ever” year for US chicken arm Pilgrim’s Pride.

JBS posted net income of BRL926.9m (US$398.9m), up from BRL718.9m in 2012. Operating income grew 28.4% to BRL1.78bn.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Net revenue increased 22.7% to BRL92.9bn during 2013. Sales from JBS’s Mercosul unit jumped 43.3% as it benefited from the acquisition of poultry business Seara Brasil from domestic rival Marfrig. JBS also pointed to improvement from its Brazilian beef arm.

The company said its US chicken unit saw net revenue rise 3.6% to US$8.41bn, with net income from the business more than trebling to $549.6m.

JBS’s exports were up 20% to $12bn. CEO Wesley Mendonça Batista said the number of JBS’s export markets increased, while it saw demand rise in emerging economies.

The group saw sales and profits increase in its fourth quarter, although its net income of BRL140.7m fell below the average analyst forecast of BRL374m, according to a Thomson Reuters poll. JBS saw net financial expenses more than double in the quarter.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Click here for the full statement.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact