Perspectives for the Mexican Beef Meat Industry Based on the Analysis of the Business Model of Two Latin American Companies

Abstract

The international meat market is led by large corporations that control the most important nodes of the value chain, to transform them into value networks operating in the global context. This study compares two global companies, the Mexican Su Karne and the Brazilian business consortium JBS-Friboi, which is the leader in the world market, and the possible implications of their business models on the network value of Mexican beef meat. First, as context, a revision is made of the recent behavior of livestock production and beef meat exportations from Brazil and Mexico. The cases are analyzed through documental review and interviews with officials and experts involved in the value network. As a consequence of a more competitive environment in the global market, the Mexican packers will have to find new competition strategies, such as diversifying markets and building strategic alliances to exploit economies of scale and scope and standardize quality.

Keywords: Beef exports. Market diversification. Process integration.

JEL Classification: J43, L10, L25