Marfrig recipe grows 16% in Q1

São Paulo-Marfrig Global Foods, one of the world''s refrigerators, obtained R$ 4.90 billion revenue in the first quarter of 2016, a growth of 16.1% over the R$ 4.22 billion recorded in the same period last year.
The greater participation of the Keystone division focused on the supply of food in restaurants and retail, especially in the Asian market, which accounts for 50% of the businesses-added to the appreciation of the dollar against real resulted in positive performance.
The gross profit of the company left R$ 474 million to R$ 576 million, up 21.5%. The target for 2016 is net revenue of up to $ 24 billion, totaling 26% growth. So far were 4.9 billion R$.
The Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) set of 25% variation Marfrig registered over the same period to 2015, R$ 354 million to 443 million R$.
"Are two pillars: the good environment of commodities in the United States; and diversification with key accounts, with double-digit growth in recent years, "said yesterday the Vice President for finance and investor relations Global Foods, Eduardo Marfrig Miron.
Investments
The Marfrig has invested R$ 108 million in the first quarter and is forecast to reach 450 million R$ R$ 600 million for the whole year.
"We want to maintain excellent customer service, then capturing the opportunities in the market, and, of course, for the Marfrig inside the Beef import market, and begin to export to China, which was an opening that has been achieved in the second half of last year," said the ceo of Marfrig, Martin Secco.
That''s because the company''s meat Division increased its net revenue in 6% to 2.46 billion-R$ being R$ 1.32 billion destined for foreign markets. However, there was a reduction on the internal market: R$ 1.20 billion to 1.14 billion R$. "In General, the whole Beef [meat] had a weaker first quarter, by seasonality. But there''s an important growth in the company''s revenue. There was also helps with the effect of the exchange rate ", analyzed the company director. With that, exports jumped from 43% in 2015 to 50% in the first three months of 2016.
"Comparing the volume of slaughter from last year and the current, 43% went to the outdoor market and this year already reaches 50%. This means that the increased production Marfrig? Don''t. It was a part of the internal market that was out, "said Secco.
China
In the opinion of the Director, even with global slowdown of the Chinese economy, the demand for meat will continue in high in that country.
"We started sales in half last year [to China], then we had a period which is always a little weaker, with the end of the year Chinese. The market is very good, the demand is very firm, "said Martin Secco.
The Marfrig serves China with three plants in Brazil, four units in Uruguay and Argentina. There is no prospect of increase in volume exported that market, since there are provided for new operations in Brazil.
"They are studying the behavior of [sugar] cane brazilian. This requires a process of trust between the two Governments, "he said. "So if there is an increase of Marfrig plants or another industry, the volume will remain more or less as it is today," he said.