JBS has invested nearly $12 billion (45 million reals) to expand its Friboi plant located in Ituiutaba, Minas Gerais, in Brazil. The expansion, which increased the facility’s production capacity by 50%, was designed to help serve major export markets, including Europe, the Middle East, China and Chile, as well as to meet demand domestically.

According to the company, the project involved modernizing equipment and implementing a project to improve process flows and increase output. Following the expansion, the company will be deploying a second shift at the plant and will be hiring 700 additional staff over the second half of the year.

“The Ituiutaba plant’s increased capacity means it play an even more strategic role fulfilling all our export certificates. We are also very proud of the fact the new jobs will also make the plant one of the region’s biggest employers," Friboi chief executive officer Renato Costa said.

The Friboi plant is one of several that will be certified to export fresh beef to the U.S.