MT220 unit 2 assignment
A Progressive Digital Media business
COMPANY PROFILE
Marfrig Global Foods S.A.
REFERENCE CODE: B88EE48E-EA8F-4215-B351-E219E93E7BB9 PUBLICATION DATE: 4 Sep 2015 www.marketline.com COPYRIGHT MARKETLINE. THIS CONTENT IS A LICENSED PRODUCT AND IS NOT TO BE PHOTOCOPIED OR DISTRIBUTED.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Company Overview..............................................................................................3
Key Facts...............................................................................................................3
SWOT Analysis.....................................................................................................4
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Marfrig Global Foods S.A. (Marfrig or 'the company') is a food company engaged in the processing and distribution of fresh and industrialized beef, pork, lamb and poultry to customers in Brazil and abroad. The company primarily operates in Brazil and exports its products to Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas. It is head quartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil and employed 45,666 people as of December 31, 2014.
The company recorded revenues of BRL21,073.3 million (approximately $8,970.9 million) in the financial year ended December 2014 (FY2014), an increase of 12.4% over FY2013. The operating loss of the company was BRL1,042.3 million (approximately $443.7 million) in FY2014, compared to the operating loss of BRL1,164.2 million (approximately $495.6 million) in FY2013. The net loss was BRL739.5 million (approximately $314.8 million) in FY2014, compared to the net loss of BRL913.6 million (approximately $388.9 million) in FY2013.
KEY FACTS
Marfrig Global Foods S.A.Head Office Avenida Chedid Jafet 222 - Bloco A 5º andar Vila Olimpia Sao Paulo BRA
55 11 3792 8994Phone
55 11 3792 8611Fax
http://www.marfrig.com.br/Web Address
21,073.3Revenue / turnover (BRL Mn)
DecemberFinancial Year End
45,666Employees
MRFG3Sao Paulo Ticker
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. Company Overview
SWOT ANALYSIS
Marfrig is a food company engaged in the processing and distribution of fresh and industrialized beef, pork, lamb and poultry to customers in Brazil and abroad. The company's strong international presence enables it to minimize business risks. However, intense competition could lead to pricing pressures, which could reduce the company's profits.
WeaknessesStrengths
Declining profitabilityStrong international presence Large scale of operations Robust customer base
ThreatsOpportunities
Intense competitionPositive outlook for global processed meat market Effects of trade barriers Growing food service market Outbreak of cattle diseases affecting
consumption levels and demandGrowing global demand for meat
Strengths
Strong international presence
Marfrig has a strong market position in its domestic market. Additionally, the company has a significant presence in various markets across the world. Apart from Brazil, Marfrig has its operations spread across 16 other countries around the world. The company also exports its products to over 140 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Russia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas. Marfrig holds strong market position internationally through its operating segments. For instance, the company's Moy Park segment is the largest producer of poultry meat in Northern Ireland and one of the 15 largest food companies in the UK, while Keystone Foods is one of the largest international suppliers of industrialized foods to large restaurant and retail chains. Also, Marfrig Beef is the world's third largest beef producer, the second largest beef operation in Brazil, the leading beef processer in Uruguay and the largest meat importer in Chile. Diverse geographic presence allows Marfrig to expand its exports, gain access to premium markets and mitigate any business-related risks. Additionally, Marfrig can leverage the unique cost and resource advantages presented by each geographical location.
Large scale of operations
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. SWOT Analysis
The company has strong production and distribution capabilities. Keystone Foods operates 14 production units in the US, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and Australia. Together, these units have the capacity to process nearly 230 million birds and manufacture 550 tons of food annually. With 28 production units, distribution centers and offices in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, Marfrig Beef has the capacity to process nearly five million head of cattle, 2.6 million sheep and 1,204 tons of processed food per year. Moy Park has 14 processing and manufacturing units in Northern Ireland, England, France, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, which together have the capacity to process 240 million birds annually, in addition to producing around 270,000 tons of food per year.
The large scale of operations across the world helps the company to achieve economies of scale and therefore develop low-cost operations, which, in turn, will translate into higher margins for the company.
Robust customer base
The company maintains a diverse customer base. Marfrig sells its products to large restaurant and supermarket chains and caters to millions of consumers in over 110 countries every day. Keystone Foods’ customer base includes more than 36,000 quick-service restaurants, major food service and industrial companies as well as retail outlets around the world. Some of these include Tesco, ASDA, McDonald’s, Waitrose, WM Morrison Supermarkets, McCain, Sainsbury’s and Pizza Hut. Moy Park supplies its products to major restaurant chains and retailers in the UK and Continental Europe. It caters to all top 10 UK retailers and major European quick-service restaurants. Therefore, a wide customer base helps the company to consolidate its market position and expand its business operations.
Weaknesses
Declining profitability
The company's profitability has not kept pace with its top line growth in recent times. Marfrig recorded revenues of BRL21,073.3 million (approximately $8,970.9 million) in FY2014, an increase of 12.4% over FY2013. The increase was driven by a 7.3% growth in sales volume and 4.7% decrease in average price. However, the operating profit and net profit of the company declined significantly. The operating loss of Marfrig was BRL1,042.3 million (approximately $443.7 million) in FY2014, compared to the operating loss of BRL1,164.2 million (approximately $495.6 million) in FY2013. The net loss was BRL739.5 million (approximately $314.8 million) in FY2014, compared to the net loss of BRL913.6 million (approximately $388.9 million) in FY2013. Declining profits could affect investor confidence and also hamper the company's expansion plans.
Opportunities
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. SWOT Analysis
Positive outlook for global processed meat market
The global market for processed meat has been growing at a steady rate. According to industry estimates, the global processed meat market is expected to reach a value of nearly $900 billion by 2019, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 14% during 2014–20. The key factors attributable to this growth include changes in terms of age, growing population worldwide and increasing disposable income in developing economies, such as South America and Asia Pacific. Marfrig processes, packages and delivers fresh meat products (beef, pork, poultry and lamb) to customers in Brazil and abroad. Thus, the positive outlook for the global processed meat market will enable Marfrig to enhance its market penetration which, in turn, will increase its sales.
Growing food service market
The food service industry is expected to continue its steady growth in the future. The global foodservice industry has been growing in the recent past. According to the industry sources, the global consumer foodservice sales grew by nearly 5% in 2014 over 2013. The Middle East and Africa, and Latin America recorded a CAGR of nearly 9% and 11%, respectively, during 2009–14. Furthermore, according to industry sources, the total food service industry sales in the US are estimated to surpass $700 billion in 2015, registering an increase of about 4% over 2014. This growth is attributed to stronger economic growth in the US.
Marfrig is one of the world's largest suppliers for the food service industry. It supplies food and food service solutions to restaurants, supermarket chains, steakhouses, retail chains, hotels, and the main fast food chains across various countries. Marfrig has established strong relationships with key food service companies such as McDonald's, McCain, and KFC among others. The growth in the food service market augurs well for the company, as the increased consumer demand would lead to better revenues for the company.
Growing global demand for meat
The global meat market is growing at a steady pace. According to industry sources, the global meat market is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 4% and 2% in terms of revenue and volume, respectively, over the period 2013–18. This growth is attributable to the increased consumption of meat as well as increased demand from developing nations such as China, Brazil, Russia, and India.
The company exports its products (beef, pork, lamb and poultry) to more than 140 countries, including countries in Asia. Therefore, the company is well positioned to leverage on this growth trend in Asia and boost its revenues.
Threats
Intense competition
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. SWOT Analysis
Marfrig operates in a highly competitive market. It faces competition from Brazilian and foreign companies in the production, processing and sales of its products. The competitors of the company include Conservas Oderich, BRF, Tyson Foods, JBS, Smithfield Foods, Itambe, and Minerva. Factors influencing its competitiveness include operating efficiency, quality, cost of raw materials and labor, price, food safety, product distribution, technological innovations and brand loyalty. Some of its competitors have greater financial resources and larger product portfolios than the company. In addition, the company has to differentiate its product and service offerings through a clear and unique value proposition in order to endure in such a stiff competitive environment. Increased competition could lead to pricing pressures, which could reduce the company's profits.
Effects of trade barriers
Marfrig, which operates across several continents and countries, is subject to the impact of restrictions imposed by regulatory bodies in those respective countries. The company's operations are also influenced by trade barriers and other import restrictions in the poultry, pork and beef markets outside of Brazil.
There have been instances in the past when certain countries initiated investigations and imposed restrictions on meat exports from Brazil. For example, in 2013, South Africa initiated a dumping investigation on frozen chicken imported from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK and the country also raised tariffs on chicken products originating in all countries except the European Union. In 2011, Mexico initiated a dumping investigation against the CLQ (Chicken Leg Quarter) originating in the US, and in 2012 the measure was suspended due to the outbreak of avian flu which damaged the Mexican poultry industry. In addition, there have been instances in the past when certain countries initiated investigations and imposed restrictions on meat exports from Brazil. For example, in 2013, Ukraine suspended Brazilian swine exports, claiming sanitary issues; and in 2012, Albania suspended all pork imports from Brazil. Furthermore, several other major markets such as Japan, South Africa, the European Union, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia are not open to Brazilian meats due to sanitary barriers.
In order to minimize the effect of such trade barriers on its net sales from exports, the company must constantly monitor and respond quickly to the imposition of new restrictions by redirecting products to other markets or changing product specifications to comply with the new restrictions.
Outbreak of cattle diseases affecting consumption levels and demand
Marfrig has large biological assets consisting of poultry, cattle, pigs and hogs. In order to protect the health of these animals, the company has to take extra measures. The responsibility on part of meat-processing companies like Marfrig has greatly increased due to the outbreak of various cattle diseases.
In 2012, a new livestock disease that causes birth deformities in sheep, cattle and goats was identified in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands. Earlier in 2011, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization issued a warning for veterinary and border authorities in Asia regarding an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Republic of Korea. The highly contagious animal disease
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. SWOT Analysis
affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, causing high fever. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the US estimated that the overall cost of FMD control in the Republic of Korea was about $1.6 billion. In 2009, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of A (H1N1) influenza, also called swine flu, to be a global pandemic. Since this was believed to be passed to humans through pork, many countries, including Russia and China, imposed prohibition on imports of pork from countries reporting a significant number of cases (Mexico, the US and Canada).
Any further such disease outbreaks will lead to the imposition of costly preventive controls on pork imports in the company's export markets. This could also lead to decreased demand for pork in global markets, including Brazil. Additionally, any future significant outbreak of the disease in Brazil could attract strict regulations from the government to destroy its hogs. Apart from incurring additional expense for the disposal of destroyed hogs, the company will have to face several challenges like decreased sales of pork and non-recovery of costs incurred in raising or purchasing them.
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Marfrig Global Foods S.A. SWOT Analysis
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