Canada has decided to open its market to Brazilian beef and pork. Even before the announcement Garra International was already on top of the opportunity. The animal protein trading company is about to open its first office in Florida, United States, whose market is similar to the Canadian one.
“This new office will help us in several ways. First, it will increase our purchases and sales in the United States. Second, it will bring us closer to the American financial sector, which should contribute to our growth”, says Matias Hees. “Finally, it will support our expansion to Canada, where we already have a small sales volume of chicken meat, with great potential to increase.”
The US operation will also support Garra’s growth in Latin America. The company already exports to countries such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Panama, but strengthening its position in them is a fundamental step forward. These markets currently represent USD 36 million in revenues for the company.
“The fact that Brazil is selling to countries that demand the most advanced sanitary and industrial standards shows how we can do business in any consumer market,” says Hees. “Our aim is to sell a variety of products to Canada and the US, including lamb from Australia and beef from Uruguay and Brazil.”
In 2021, Canada consumed 1.2 million tons of beef, 250 thousand tons of which was imported, while the United States consumed 12 million tons, importing 1.37 million tons – it’s the biggest market for beef in the world. Regarding pork, Canada consumed 910 thousand tons (270 thousand imported) and the US, about 9.6 million tons (445 thousand imported).
It’s worth saying that Brazil exported 1.87 million tons of beef and 1.1 million tons of pork, in the same period.