Global meat giant JBS is making a major return to Paraguay’s poultry industry, announcing a $70 million investment over the next two years to expand and modernize operations in the country. The initiative begins with the acquisition of Pollos Amanecer, a local poultry processor based in Doctor Juan Eulogio Estigarribia (Campo 9), in the department of Caaguazú.
The move marks JBS’s first poultry facility in Paraguay and its first investment in the country since 2017, when it sold its beef operations there to Brazilian rival Minerva Foods. The announcement was made during the visit of Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to JBS’s Seara plant in Dourados, Brazil, underscoring the significance of the company’s renewed engagement with Paraguay’s agrifood sector.
Building a new poultry hub in South America
Under the new plan, JBS will expand and modernize the acquired facility to reach a processing capacity of 100,000 birds per day. The company confirmed that the project will include:
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The construction of 28 farms for genetic material,
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Hatcheries and a feed mill,
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And the expansion of poultry production from 19 to 139 integrated chicken sheds once fully operational.
At full capacity, the facility will employ around 1,100 workers, including both manufacturing and administrative staff. The goal is to supply the domestic Paraguayan market while also launching exports, primarily under the company’s Seara brand, which currently operates 30 poultry processing plants and 24 prepared food facilities across Brazil.
A strategic return
“Paraguay offers excellent conditions for the development of poultry farming, and this investment reinforces our strategy to boost competitiveness and diversification,” said Gilberto Tomazoni, Global CEO of JBS. “We are confident that this operation will be an engine of growth for the country, generating jobs, income, and high-quality products for the global market, while accelerating Paraguay’s presence in the world chicken market.”
The company’s return is part of a broader expansion strategy aimed at strengthening JBS’s presence across Latin America and diversifying its protein portfolio beyond beef and pork. The project will also provide new opportunities for local integrated producers, who are expected to play a key role in the supply chain under the Seara expansion plan.
A catalyst for Paraguay’s poultry industry
Local industry associations have welcomed the move, noting that Paraguay’s poultry sector is well positioned for export growth thanks to its grain availability, competitive costs, and increasing government support for livestock development.
For JBS, Paraguay represents not only a geographic advantage in terms of logistics and access to regional markets, but also a chance to leverage its vertical integration expertise to build a modern poultry cluster in one of South America’s fastest-growing economies.
With construction and modernization beginning in 2025, JBS’s new facility is expected to become a key driver of Paraguay’s agri-industrial expansion—signaling both the company’s confidence in the country’s poultry potential and its commitment to expanding sustainable animal protein production across Latin America.
