JBS announced this week that it invested 45 million reals ($12 million U.S.) to expand plants in Brazil to better serve the Chinese market, one of the main export destinations for Brazilian beef. Located in the cities of Iturama and Ituitaba in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the plants now have double the capacity and modernized equipment as well as more efficient operations.

“We have doubled the production volume at these two units to comply with all our export certificates, but particularly because we believe China is a very strong market. When we look at total exports so far this year and compare them with last year, volumes have risen 125%”, JBS Carnes chief executive officer Renato Costa said.

The additional output will also help to serve the European and domestic markets, JBS said.

The company has already deployed a second shift at the two sites and will be hiring additional staff by the second quarter of next year.

JBS said it has been exporting beef to China since 2015 and currently has also certified another four plants to supply the Chinese market.