Florida refrigerator resumes operations in March 2023 – Rurales

The new owners of Florida Refrigerator, Lequio Group of ArgentinaThey are already forming a management team for the facility and are carrying out a maintenance plan to prepare the facilities, with development expected to take around 60 to 70 days. In this way, it is estimated that during the first fortnight of March the first test works will be carried out and therefore the start of operations.

The tour of the Florida refrigerator took place this Monday, after what was the process of auctioning and awarding the plant to the Argentinean group Lequio.

Leonardo Lequio, director of the company, told Valor Agregado of Radio Carve that in Argentina the group is dedicated to the cold industry and that it has three slaughterhouses: two for the production of beef, mainly for export; and one for the production of pigs, sausages and cold cuts. On the other hand, it has chain integration having developed meat shops, butcher shops and restaurants. Back, they are also in livestock and fattening.

About 90% of the production is mainly exported to China, but it is also sold to Chile, Europe, Israel, the United States and Brazil. The rest is sold to the local market, with direct sales.

“We were favored to be awarded the Florida facility after a few months of negotiations with the bank,” Lequio said.

The businessman said there was a fruitful negotiation with Banco República which offered long-term financing, part of which enabled the decision to be made.

However, he assured that Uruguay is a country “completely free for marketing” where one can work without restrictions, without withholdings, with a dollar which is current currency and where there is no differential exchange rate.

“We were interested in taking a step in internalizing the group in a safe country, with the predictability of agreeing on short-term and long-term business,” he explained.

Currently, the Florida refrigerator has all the authorizations it had before the closure: China, Russia, the United States, Europe, Arabia and third countries. That is, it has the main markets for the operation of the plant. Furthermore, after a series of investments, it is intended to apply for permission for Israel.

The operating capacity of the refrigerator is approximately 1,500 or 1,600 items per week. After investment and a fine-tuning, it can grow 30% or 40%. “March 15 will increase as equipment is tested, agreements are reached and funds are available,” he said.

Operationally in Florida they go to work with cow or beef for China and also bet on the premium market.

The Uruguayan ambassador to Argentina, Carlos Enciso, attended the process and said it was important to be on tour together with the departmental authorities to “support and be close” to something that “is very important” for the department, as it provides a helping hand of local work and is a window to the world.