Foundation — 1956

Seara’s history began in 1956 in the city of Seara, located in the western part of Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil. The company started with a large slaughterhouse and refrigerated facility, gradually developing into an integrated meat producer. The company’s name derives from the city where it was founded.

During its early decades, Seara expanded its poultry and pork operations and invested in breeding, processing, and production technology.

International expansion

A significant milestone occurred in 1975, when Seara exported 240 tonnes of chicken to Kuwait, marking its first international transaction. This event accelerated the company’s subsequent international expansion 2.

In 1982, Seara became the first Brazilian meat company to export chicken cuts to Europe and also began exporting raw chicken to Japan. These moves established the company as an internationally oriented Brazilian protein producer rather than solely a domestic meat supplier 3.

Ceval and Bunge

In 1980, Seara was acquired by Ceval, a major Brazilian agricultural-processing company. This acquisition increased Seara’s investment capacity and helped expand its industrial footprint.

Ceval was subsequently acquired by Bunge, meaning Seara became part of the broader Bunge corporate group during the 1990s. In 1998, Seara Alimentos S.A. was established as an independent company under new ownership arrangements. During this period, Seara continued expanding its production facilities and international sales network.

Growth during the 1990s and 2000s

Seara expanded production facilities in several Brazilian states while developing exports to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

In 1996, the company achieved ISO 9002 certification for its entire chicken production chain, which Seara describes as a first for a Brazilian company in the sector.

By 2000, Seara described itself as Brazil’s largest pork exporter. It subsequently expanded its processed-food business and international distribution network.

Marfrig period

Seara was acquired by Marfrig Group in 2010. At the time, the acquisition brought Seara’s established Brazilian brand and international operations into Marfrig’s growing poultry, pork, and processed-food business. The period also saw increased emphasis on developing Seara as a globally recognizable consumer and food-service brand.

JBS acquisition — 2013

One of the most important moments in Seara’s modern history came in 2013, when JBS acquired Seara’s food business from Marfrig. Seara subsequently became one of JBS’s major food brands. This gave Seara access to JBS’s enormous international production, distribution, and sales network and accelerated its development as a global protein brand.

Modern Seara

In 2016, Seara introduced a new visual identity designed to modernize the brand and strengthen its position in contemporary food markets.

The company has since broadened its portfolio beyond conventional frozen meat. Its products now include fresh and frozen poultry and pork, processed meats, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods, snacks, pizzas, cold cuts, and plant-based products.

Seara also entered the plant-based protein category, with its first plant-based meat exports to Japan taking place in 2021.

Seara’s portfolio can broadly be divided into several categories:

• Chicken and poultry — whole chickens, chicken cuts, fillets, and other poultry products.
• Pork — fresh and frozen pork products and processed pork.
• Processed meats — sausages, ham, cold cuts, and other prepared meat products.
• Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods — convenience-oriented meals and snacks.
• Pizza and other prepared foods.
• Plant-based protein — meat alternatives sold under Seara’s broader brand portfolio.
• Premium products — including the Seara Gourmet range.
• Specialized consumer lines — including Seara Nature and Seara DaGranja.

The portfolio varies considerably by country because Seara supplies retail, food-service, and industrial customers in different markets.

Although Seara originated as a Brazilian meat company, its business today is highly international. Seara says it supplies products to more than 130 countries, while its Brazilian corporate materials describe an international customer base spanning more than 140 countries. The exact number varies by source and definition of market presence.

The company operates through several channels:

• Retail supermarkets
• Food-service businesses
• Food manufacturers
• Distributors
• International importers
• Industrial and commercial customers

This means Seara functions both as a consumer-facing food brand and as a large-scale B2B protein supplier.

Seara’s international corporate profile describes a substantial industrial network, including approximately:

• 30 poultry-processing facilities
• 8 hog-processing facilities
• 24 prepared-food facilities
• 18 distribution centers
• 11 overseas sales offices
• Approximately 5.1 million birds processed per day
• Approximately 26,700 hogs processed per day

These figures illustrate the difference between Seara as a supermarket brand and Seara as an industrial food company: behind the consumer packaging is a very large vertically integrated production and distribution operation.

Seara is not an independent company in the way it was during parts of its earlier history. It is now a major brand within JBS.

JBS is a Brazilian multinational food company with operations spanning beef, poultry, pork, prepared foods, and other protein categories. Seara represents one of JBS’s most important poultry, pork, and prepared-food businesses.

The relationship can therefore be simplified as:

JBS → Seara Alimentos → Seara consumer and food-service brands/products

Seara’s positioning has evolved significantly. Historically, the company was primarily associated with Brazilian poultry and pork production. In its modern form, the brand emphasizes:

• Quality
• Taste
• Convenience
• Food safety
• Innovation
• Product variety

Seara’s own Brazilian materials specifically describe its proposition around practicality, trust, and innovation, while its international materials emphasize quality, food safety, and product innovation.

This reflects a broader shift in the food industry: instead of selling only raw meat, Seara increasingly sells products designed around particular eating occasions and consumer convenience.

Food safety and quality assurance are major components of Seara’s international operations. Seara reports that its facilities undergo internal and external audits and lists certifications and standards including:

• BRC
• GlobalG.A.P.
• ISO 14001
• ISO 17025
• SMETA
• Halal certification
• Other market-specific certifications

Certification requirements can differ between individual factories and markets.

The company’s 1996 ISO 9002 achievement is also an important historical milestone because Seara identifies it as the first Brazilian company in its sector to obtain the certification for its entire poultry production chain.

Seara has particularly strong international activity in markets that import Brazilian poultry and pork. Its historical timeline records commercial offices in places including Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Singapore, Tokyo, and Dubai, demonstrating how the company built an international sales infrastructure relatively early in its development.

Japan has been especially significant. Seara began exporting raw chicken there in the 1980s, later expanded into processed chicken and pork products, and eventually introduced plant-based products. Seara Japan operates as a dedicated local commercial organization.

Seara today is more than a single product line. Its broader portfolio includes specialized sub-brands and acquired brands. Examples mentioned in Seara’s Brazilian materials include:

• Seara
• Seara Gourmet
• Seara Nature
• Seara DaGranja
• Seara Turma da Mônica
• Incrível!
• Big Frango
• Marba
• Massa Leve
• Doriana
• Primor
• Delicata
• Salada

The precise brand portfolio can vary over time and by market.

Seara’s modern identity attempts to combine its Brazilian heritage with a more contemporary international-food positioning. The brand’s Brazilian roots remain central to its story: it was born in the small city of Seara in Santa Catarina and grew alongside Brazil’s transformation into a major global agricultural and food exporter. At the same time, the modern company presents itself as an international food producer rather than solely a Brazilian meat company.

• 1956 — Seara established in Seara, Santa Catarina.
• 1968 — Uirapuru research farm established for pork-production research.
• 1975 — First international transaction: 240 tonnes of chicken exported to Kuwait 2.
• 1976 — First incubation center established in Xanxerê.
• 1980 — Ceval acquires Seara.
• 1982 — Seara begins major European and Japanese chicken exports 3.
• 1989 — Seara Industrial becomes part of Ceval.
• 1996 — ISO 9002 certification obtained for the entire chicken production chain.
• 1997 — Ceval acquired by Bunge.
• 1998 — Seara Alimentos S.A. established.
• 1999 — International offices established in several major markets.
• 2000 — Seara becomes Brazil’s largest pork exporter.
• 2003 — Expansion into 27 additional countries.
• 2005 — Seara comes under a large international food group.
• 2010 — Seara acquired by Marfrig.
• 2013 — JBS acquires Seara.
• 2016 — New visual identity introduced.
• 2021 — First plant-based meat exports to Japan.
• Today — Seara operates as a major JBS brand with a global poultry, pork, and prepared-food business 4.

1. About Us | Seara – A Brand of The JBS Group
2. 会社情報 | セアラ｜65年以上の歴史を誇るブラジルの代表的食肉メーカー
3. 5. SEARA’S PROFILE
4. Compre Seara