Cargill has acquired Colombia-based Pollos El Bucanero S.A. (Bucanero Chicken), one of Colombia's leading producers of chicken and processed meat products.

The acquisition marks the first introduction of Cargill's global protein business into Colombia. Bucanero Chicken has more than 30 years of experience, and its products are the preferred choice of foodservice companies and retailers in multiple regions of Colombia, according to the announcement. The company works with more than 170 farms across the country to deliver high-quality protein options to its customers.

"We are thrilled to expand our operations in Latin America by bringing our protein business to Colombia," said Xavier Vargas, president of Cargill Protein Latin America. "As we enter this market, we bring the experience gained from working in protein across four continents for more than 50 years. This global presence, and our extensive work in other regions of Latin America, provides us a wealth of expertise in quality standards and an understanding of cultural taste differences. We look forward to delivering on the preferences of Colombian consumers and enriching their protein options."

Jorge Ivan Duque will serve as general manager of Cargill's Pollos Bucanero business. He has spent the past 12 years working in the poultry sector in Central America and Colombia. Bucanero will operate as part of Cargill Protein Latin America, which includes businesses in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

"Cargill is starting a new stage in Colombia under the Bucanero brand, which is recognized and preferred by millions of customers across the country," Duque said. "Just like Cargill, this is a family business. We are confident that this will be a smooth integration and will lead to numerous benefits for our employees, customers and communities."

Bucanero has 5,000 employees, which will bring the number of people Cargill employs in Latin America to 35,000 across approximately 200 sites in 14 countries.