Cargill, Wichita, Kan., acquired Pollos El Bucanero S.A. (Bucanero Chicken), a Colombian-based producer of chicken and processed meats products sold in foodservice and retailers throughout Colombia.

The acquisition marks Cargill's first introduction of its global protein business into Colombia. Pollos El Bucanero maintains more than 30 years of experience, and works with more than 170 farms across the country. Pollos El Bucanero will operate as part of Cargill Protein Latin America, which includes businesses in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

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.

"Cargill is starting a new stage in Colombia, under the Bucanero brand, which is recognized and preferred by millions of customers across the country," says Duque. "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."

"We are thrilled to expand our operations in Latin America by bringing our protein business to Colombia," says 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."

Bucanero employs 5,000 people, bringing the number that Cargill employs in Latin America to 35,000 across approximately 200 sites in 14 countries.