BRF has confirmed it is negotiating a strategic collaboration with the Americana Group, a food manufacturer and restaurant franchise manager active in the Middle East and Asia. The leading Brazilian poultry company sent a document to the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission December 23 stating that it is negotiating with the Kuwaiti company.
"The (BRF) Company hereby communicates the market that in line with its international expansion strategy, it has recently entered into a non-binding agreement with Americana, whereby the companies have agreed to cooperate in carrying out a tandem strategic analysis aiming to establish a strategic cooperation in the Middle East region," reads the document signed by the BRF finance and investor relations deputy vice president Augusto Ribeiro Jr.
BRF, formerly known as Brasil Foods, stated its dealings with Americana are at a preliminary phase, but further details of the BRF-Americana negotiations were not disclosed in the document, according to news reports.
Americana manages stores from 12 international restaurant and fast food chains throughout the Middle East. Americana's food production division manufactures 12 brands of animal proteins, frozen items, savory items, cheeses, water, pastries and olives. Americana has 55,000 employees and 17 plants.
Middle Eastern countries rank among BRF's main clients, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The company is building a plant in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, with operations due to start in June 2014.
