JBS moves to exit Jack Link’s meat snacks joint venture
Decision follows restructuring steps by JBS in the United States
USA – Brazilian meat company JBS has initiated plans to withdraw from its long-running meat snacks partnership with US-based jerky producer Jack Link’s, according to regulatory filings submitted to Brazil’s competition authority.
The company has asked the Administrative Council for Economic Defense to approve the transaction, citing the fact that the Meat Snack Partners joint venture is registered in Brazil and therefore subject to local antitrust review.
Documents shared with Just Food indicate that Jack Link’s interest in the venture is held through LSI Inc., a Minneapolis-based entity that is set to acquire JBS’s stake in the business.
The filing also lists Troy Link, the son of founder Jack Link and the current chief executive of Jack Link’s, as part of the group purchasing the Brazilian company’s share.
Jack Link’s, which remains privately owned, did not respond to requests for comment regarding the buyout at the time the information was reported.
Background of the partnership
The joint venture was established in 2010 when Jack Link still served as chief executive, with the aim of producing meat snacks at two JBS-operated facilities in Sao Paulo state for supply to the US and other overseas markets.
Under the original arrangement, JBS provided the raw materials and manufacturing capacity, while operational responsibilities at the plants were shared between the two partners.
Over the years, Jack Link’s has expanded beyond the partnership through a series of acquisitions, adding Australia-based Kooee! All Natural Snacks in 2025 via its Asia-Pacific unit after the brand was founded in Tasmania a decade earlier.
The Wisconsin-headquartered company had previously broadened its lineup in 2020 by purchasing Golden Island Jerky from Tyson Foods, further diversifying its presence in the meat snacks category.
Its portfolio now includes multiple brands spanning beef, turkey and chicken jerky, such as Golden Island, Kooee!, Lorissa’s Kitchen, Wild River and Country Fresh Meats.
Wider restructuring at JBS
The move to exit the Jack Link’s venture comes weeks after reports that JBS USA plans to shut down its case-ready meat processing plant in Riverside, California, as part of changes to its domestic production setup.
A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with California authorities in early December stated that the closure would affect 374 employees, with job losses scheduled to begin on 2 February 2026 under JBS’s Swift business unit.
JBS confirmed the decision, explaining that production from the Riverside site is being transferred to other US facilities to simplify operations, while affected workers are being offered relocation options, financial incentives to remain through the transition, and a 60-day notice period.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
