Global concern over BSE is driving fastfood chains in South America to favour local beef suppliers. The pressure to use local suppliers is especially intense in the beef producing nations of the southern cone. In Chile, McDonald’s and Burger Inn announced this year that they will no longer source beef from outside the county. In order to win contracts with major fastfood chains, Chile’s leading beef suppliers must certify their beef is raised and processed domestically.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more


McDonald’s, which operates 72 restaurants in Chile, has chosen a beef supplier called Procarne. McDonald’s management indicated the restaurant chain has changed suppliers to ensure customers that, even though the franchise is multinational, the beef it uses is local. Burger Inn, which is operated by Retaurantes Tecnicos, uses a beef supplier called Biffe Sor.


A positive side effect of domestic sourcing of beef in South America is that it is driving suppliers to comply with international standards. It also forces them to take precautions at all levels of production in order to avoid exposure to BSE.


By Steve Lewis, just-food.com correspondent

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

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