Brazilian egg producer Mantiqueira expands into the US Market

USA – Brazil’s leading egg company Mantiqueira Brasil has begun setting up its first egg farms in the United States, shortly after selling a 50% stake to meat processing giant JBS in April.

According to Reuters, company president Leandro Pinto revealed during an event in São Paulo that his son is currently overseeing the greenfield operations in Colorado.

The move comes as outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza continue to impact poultry populations across the US and Europe, creating new opportunities for global suppliers like Brazil to expand their footprint.

Pinto emphasized that Brazilian egg companies are now looking beyond exports, exploring the potential of building production bases in foreign markets.

He stated that Mantiqueira’s US operations are part of a broader goal to establish a global presence, with Colorado chosen as the starting point due to its existing infrastructure and JBS’s presence in the state.

The initiative also aims to tap into the sizable US egg market, where consumer demand remains high despite disease-related disruptions.

In 2022, average per capita egg consumption in the United States reached 279 eggs, amounting to roughly 95 million dozen annually.

Despite producing around 110 billion eggs each year, the vast majority of US eggs are consumed domestically, with only a small share entering export channels.

The US egg industry is primarily dominated by a handful of major players, which could pose challenges for new entrants such as Mantiqueira.

Cal-Maine Foods is currently the largest egg producer, managing approximately 44.51 million laying hens, followed by Rose Acre Farms with 25.5 million and Daybreak Foods with 20.5 million.

Combined, the top five producers account for about 127.7 million birds, representing 37.8% of the country’s total laying flock.

However, the industry has been experiencing modest growth, with the number of businesses involved in egg production increasing by an average of 11.1% annually between 2020 and 2025.

As of the end of 2024, the United States had a total of 311 million commercial laying hens.

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