Kerry celebrates 30 years in Latin America; first opened with US$30m investment in Irapuato, Mexico, now expanded to Brazil, Central America, and Argentina

This summer, Kerry proudly celebrated 30 years in Latin America, an achievement that would not have been possible without the hard-work, dedication and ingenuity of our teams and the valued trust of our customers. 

Starting in Irapuato, Guanajuato city in Mexico, Kerry first broke ground in Latin America with a US$30m investment, acquiring a processing facility to establish a major ingredients manufacturing unit to supply Mexican and Central American markets. 

After just four years, Kerry’s presence expanded to Brazil, and now with units across Central America and a commercial office in Argentina, 30 years on, we have truly made a home in Latin America. 

Through acquisitions and strategic development initiatives, Kerry’s influence in LATAM continues to thrive and transform. Rooted in our commitment to providing sustainable nutrition solutions that positively impact people, society and our planet, our journey in Latin America has enabled the organisation not only to grow, but also, to engage more closely with customers and communities in the region. 

In October 2021, Kerry partnered with Café Femenino to be the Global Supplier of Café Femenino Coffee Extracts. Dedicated to ending the cycle of poverty that affects female coffee farmers around the world, the grower-support initiative is a community-based programme in coffee-growing regions. Café Femenino has activities in nine countries, including Peru, Sumatra (Indonesia), Brazil, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia and Rwanda.

Our Young Chef programme, developed by local Kerry Chefs, launched in July 2023 in Campinas, Brazil to great success. Designed to provide new opportunities for young people in socially vulnerable situations, the Young Chef initiative allows participants to explore the world of gastronomy, not just as a culinary skill, but as a powerful tool to build a new future. 

Focused on growth and innovation, the Young Chef programme builds connection and collaboration within local communities, expanding students’ networks and paths to work, while celebrating and preserving the cultural diversity of their communities.  

In Poá and Greater São Paulo, the Gerando Baristas programme, created in conjunction with the NGO Gerando Falcões, educates participants on the coffee business, providing barista skills training that helps participants seek work in coffee shops and restaurants.

Gerando Baristas’ overarching aim is to generate opportunities for young people that reduce social inequalities. The 2023 programme, which was the first session of Gerando Baristas, led to employment for half of the young participants. It was also awarded third place in the Environmental, Social and Governance category of the AEVO Award for Entrepreneurship, which took place at the Learning Village, in São Paulo, in December 2023. 

Through engagement with regional customers and communities and enabled by the ever-expanding expertise of our chefs, scientists and technologists, our Latin American journey continues to grow and evolve, 30 years on. Every day, we innovate with our partners to create great-tasting products with improved nutrition and functionality, while ensuring a better impact for our planet. We cannot wait to see where the next 30 years of our journey will take us.