KEY POINTS
- MBRF invested $70 million to upgrade its Tacuarembó facility, creating the largest meat processing plant in Uruguay.
- The expansion increases daily slaughter capacity by 40% and quadruples the output of processed hamburger products.
- The investment follows a 2025 decision by Uruguayan regulators to block the sale of the assets to Minerva Foods on antitrust grounds.
MBRF, the meat processing conglomerate formed by the merger of Marfrig and BRF, inaugurated a $70 million expansion of its beef unit in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, on Thursday. The project significantly enhances production capacity for processed goods and cattle slaughter, establishing the facility as the largest industrial meat plant in the country.
According to a report by Danton Boatini Júnior and Clarice Couto in Valor International, the upgrade introduces an integrated industrial model designed to improve efficiency and standardization. The facility’s monthly hamburger production is projected to more than quadruple, increasing from 200 tonnes to 900 tonnes. Additionally, daily cattle slaughter capacity has risen by 40%, moving from 900 to 1,400 head, while pre-chilling capacity was expanded to accommodate 2,800 animals.
The report states that the inauguration ceremony was attended by Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi, MBRF Chairman Marcos Molina, and CEO Miguel Gularte. Chairman Molina noted that the industrial model allows the company to operate at a greater scale to serve demanding international clients with increased speed and quality. CEO Gularte described Uruguay as a strategic market characterized by high production quality and strong sanitary standards.
The investment marks a strategic pivot for the company after a period of regulatory review. In 2023, Marfrig had attempted to divest several South American assets to Minerva Foods, but the Uruguayan portion of the deal faced significant opposition. The country’s antitrust authority, the Comisión de Promoción y Defensa de la Competencia, ultimately denied approval for the transaction in September 2025 after a two-year evaluation, citing concerns over market concentration.
Strategic Market Assessment
This expansion reinforces Uruguay’s position as a premier destination for high-value agribusiness investment, underpinned by institutional stability and rigorous sanitary standards. For international investors, the $70 million commitment by MBRF highlights the country’s reliable legal framework, particularly following the antitrust authority’s intervention to prevent market concentration. The move signals a shift from divestment to consolidation within the primary export sector, likely bolstering Uruguay’s macroeconomic resilience and its appeal to foreign capital seeking stable entry points into the global food supply chain.
