Latin America’s 10 leading egg producers, with 125.5 million laying hens, account for almost a quarter of the entire Latin American layer flock.
For several years, the stage has been dominated by Mexico—home to fiveof the 10 leading companies. However, Brazil follows close by, with three companies. Colombia and Peru are also home to companies on the list.
The top three companies—two Mexican and one Brazilian—account for almost 50% of the top 10's combined layer flock. With 60.2 million laying hens, they illustrate the level of concentration among the leading producers.
Eight of the top 10 egg companies now have at least 10 million birds, up from seven in 2020.
All of the top 10 companies have grown over the last five years, with some achieving particularly strong growth rates. For example, Incubadora Santander doubled its flock over the period, while that of Granja Faria expanded by 43%, while Proan’s layer flock increased by 20%.
Between this and the previous ranking of the region’s leading egg companies, six companies have expanded their layer flocks, while one has seen its flock contract. For three companies no change is reported.
This has led to some changes in the ranking with Brazil’s Mantiqueira moving up one place and pushing Mexcio’s Guadalupe into fourth position, and Peru’s Calera falling one place, overtaken by Colombia’s Santander. Given the rapid rate of expansion by some the companies lower down the ranking, further movements may be expected in 2022, but overtaking the region’s leader Proan remains some way off for any of the companies active in the region.
1 Proteína Animal (Proan)
Mexico’s Proteína Animal, or Proan, with 36 million layers, is Latin America’s largest egg producer by far and the second-largest egg producer in the world. Production comes 100% from Bovans hens. The company, which sells its eggs under the brand name Huevo San Juan, is located in the state of Jalisco, home to more than 50% of Mexico’s egg production.
In addition to its layer facilities, the company has a state of the art feed manufacturing plant, an egg processing plant and is also active in swine production. Since 2016, the company layer flocks has grown by 20%.
2 Industrias Bachoco
Mexico’s Bachoco, operating from from Guanajuato, with 13 million layers has the double claim to fame of being the country’s second-largest egg producer and its largest broiler producer, making it the only company to be ranked amongst Latin America’s 10 largest egg producers and the region’s 10 largest broiler producers. Its broiler business is amongst the 10 largest in the world.
Also active in the swine sector, the company has modern feed plants, farms and processing plants in various parts of the country. Its operations extend to the U.S., where it owns OK foods. Over the last five years, Bachoco has increased its layer hen population by 8%.
3 Grupo Mantiqueira
Minas Gerais-based Granja Mantiqueira is Brazil’s largest egg producer and, with 11.5 million layers, is ranked third in Latin America. The company was established in the 1980s, becoming a significant player with the opening of the country’s first fully automated farm.
Another company highlight is the production unit in Primavera de Leste, in the state of Mato Grosso, which houses 6 million birds, making it the largest production site of its kind in the country. The remainders of the company’s flock is spread across three farms and other farm complexes. In addition to conventional egg production, Mantiqueira also produces cage-free eggs under the Certified Humane label and is active in the egg products sector. In 2020, the company launched Clube de Ovos, a membership egg home delivery service. Matiqueira’s layer flock has grown by 4.5% since 2016.
4 Empresas Guadalupe
Mexico’s Empresas Guadalupe, which now has 11 million layers, has been active in the local egg market for over 40 years. Ranked fourth in the region, the Jalisco-based company produces only white eggs from Hy-Line hens.
Additionally, the company produces its own packing materials and has its own distribution network, ensuring that, the same day that they are laid, Huevo Guadalupe eggs reach supermarket shelves. The company’s layer flock is thought to have expanded by 10% over the last half decade.
5 El Calvario
The fifth-largest egg producer in Latin America with 10.5 million layers is Mexico’s El Calvario, based Puebla.
The 70-year-old-company has a hatchery plant, a feed plant and packing operations, where more than 50,000 cartons are produced and filled daily. The company produces both conventional and cage-free eggs. Its sales area stretches primarily from Mexico City to the south and southeast of the country. Its layer flock is thought to have expanded by 5% over the last five years.
6 Granja Yabuta
Granja Yabuta, founded in 1947, produces white, brown, quail and ecological eggs, along with omega-3 and vitamin E-enriched eggs. Its 10 million-strong layer flock ranks it sixth in the region.
Headquartered in São Paulo, the company has production units in nine locations across four states. Each production unit has its own feed and processing plants. The company’s layer flock is thought to have been stable at 10 million birds over the last five years.
7 Gena Agropecuaria
Jalisco, Mexico, is home to the region’s seventh largest egg company, Gena Agropecuaria. With its flock of 10 million layers, the company sits in seventh place in our ranking. Active for over 35 years, the company produces eggs, swine, beef cattle, sheep and meat cuts. It sells its eggs under four brand names: Gena, Crami, Perlas and Ener Huevo. Gena’s flock comprises Hy-Line birds and is thought to have grown by 25% over the last five years.
7 Granja Faria
Granja Faria has 10 commercial egg production units, three processing plants and sells a wide range of products nationally. Founded as recently as 2006, the Santa Catarina-based company has grown to be one of Brazil's largest egg producers, in part through numerous acquisitions. It is now home to 10 million layers, making it the eighth-largest producer in the region.
The company’s Ares do Campo branded eggs come from 1 million free-range birds with Certified Humane certification. All its packaging materials are recyclable and biodegradable, and the company runs a home delivery membership club. Since 2018, Granja Faria’s layer flock has grown by 43%.
9 Incubadora Santander
Colombia's largest egg producer, Incubadora Santander, started as a hatchery 50 years ago, but has grown to be the owner of 7 million laying hens giving it ninth place in our ranking. Since the early 1990s, the company has been expanding and diversifying and now operates its own distribution system. Located in Santander, it has developed a wide portfolio of products, with Huevos Kikes its flagship brand.
Incubadora Santander is active in the egg processing market, for example producing powdered eggs and pasteurized whole shell eggs. It operates a home delivery service, markets spent hens and also produces biogas. Over the last five years, the company has doubled the size of its layer flock.
10 Avícola La Calera
In tenth place is Avícola La Calera. With 6.5 million layers Avícola La Calera is Peru's leading egg producer and marketer. Established for over 40 years, the company has both Lohmann and Hy-Line hens at two production complexes. It also has an egg product business offering over 100 different products. Avícola La Calera has countrywide distribution and has expanded its flock by 16% over the last five years.
Bachoco is not only Latin America’s second-largest egg producer, but also Mexico’s largest broiler producer. | Photo by Benjamín Ruiz
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