Tyson meat company plans global expansion

SPRINGDALE, Ark. Tyson Foods could be looking at international expansion reports said this week. The news comes after statements made to the Associated Press by company head Don Tyson indicated that he and his company were looking into growing into global markets.

“Our company, as I would view it today, is in kind of a consolidation stage, getting ready for our growth overseas,” Tyson told The Associated Press.

Since the 1970s, Tyson has survived stock highs and lows, but now faces U.S. market challenges such as high grain prices for feed, over-production of chicken, export bans on U.S. beef due to mad cow disease outbreaks.

For that reason, Tyson explained, his company is considering pursuits in more international markets. Tyson has already acquired two poultry companies, Avicola Itaiopolis and Macedo Agroindustrial, and majority ownership in a third, Frangobras, in Brazil. Additionally, the company announced joint ventures in China earlier this year including a majority share purchase of 60 percent of the Shandong Xinchang Group chicken company, majority interests in chicken processing plants in Zhucheng and Shandong, and in another under development in Haimen City, reports said.

The company also bought up 51 percent of Godrej Foods, in India.

Tyson Foods brings in about $27 billion a year in revenue, reports said.