Cruzmonte builds a greenfield for the future

New integrator ready to empower Paraguay’s poultry industry

Paraguay is an ideal place for poultry operations, because of the country’s stable and predictable economy—a hidden gem in Latin America, open to attracting foreign investments in many areas. Until now, soy, corn and beef have been the main export products of this agriculture-focused country of 7 million people. 

A greenfield in the countryside

For its poultry integration, from feed mill and farms to processing plant, Cruzmonte, part of the Bolivian Sofía group, chose a location in the countryside, about two hours from the capital city of Asunción. This strategic decision to move away from the usual industrial environment in the city was made to ensure ample room for future expansion without impacting local communities. Director Mario Anglarill, General Manager Diego Foianini, and Project Manager Diego Avalos have decided to grow the poultry processing plant in phases, matching the development of the entire vertical integration. This growth will be achieved in close partnership with JBT Marel. “We have been collaborating with the Sofía group across all three countries where they operate—Bolivia, Argentina, and now Paraguay,” explains Marco Solleveld, JBT Marel Sales Director Poultry. “We are honored to be chosen again as the preferred supplier for this complete greenfield plant.”

Export targets

Cruzmonte’s production targets export markets. After stunning with the JBT Marel Pure-Sine high-frequency system and halal killing, products undergo high scalding, removing the epidermis. This prevents pre-cooking traces and ensures high-quality fillets, fit for demanding export markets. Once the feet are cut, they are sent to the Feet Processing System. The Paw Cutter separates high-value paws from shanks for export, especially to the Far East.

Rigorous inspection

In the first phase of the Cruzmonte project, vent cutting and opening are manual operations with vacuum vent guns. The products then enter the Nuova 20 eviscerator. It will first use 10 of its 20 units at a 12” pitch, demonstrating its readiness for future capacity doubling. Cruzmonte has opted for a comprehensive veterinary inspection process, as is more often seen in South America. Carcasses and corresponding viscera packs are divided into two groups and presented to multiple inspectors at two separate veterinary stations. Rejected products are manually inspected again and reworked for cut-up purposes. The carcasses then proceed to a Neck Skin Inspection Machine and a Neck Cracker to process the necks. A FIM Final Inspection Machine and another manual check complete the rigorous control process. In Cruzmonte’s first project phase, livers, hearts, and gizzards are harvested manually. The only automated operation is the HLS Heart/Lung Separator, soon to be joined by other automation.

Chilling and distribution

Once water-chilled, carcasses pass a Weighing Bridge and a QS-3 Quality Station for weighing and grading. Based on these data, the products are sent to six different drop stations for whole bird packing. Products for cut-up are dropped from another station and cut up manually.

The foundation for future growth

The Cruzmonte poultry processing project has a forward-looking design. While production will first focus on whole birds, the facility is already prepared for future phases with higher levels of automation and a more diversified product portfolio. “This project is a perfect example of the philosophy of both JBT Marel and Cruzmonte,” says Marco Solleveld. “It’s not just about the equipment; together, we look to the future, and we are building a long-term partnership. We are eager to cooperate with Sofia and Cruzmonte in their future Latin American expansion plans, serving their needs with our experience, expertise, technology and innovations.”

About Sofía and Cruzmonte

Cruzmonte is the latest venture from the multinational company Avícola Sofía, an established and successful food group from Bolivia. In 1976, Mario Anglarill Salvatierra and his wife Maida started the family business as a poultry farm. In 1986, the growing company expanded its activities to different agricultural producers such as breeding farms, swine and cattle ranches, as well as poultry hatcheries. Over time, Sofía has grown to become a benchmark in the Bolivian food industry, expanding its activities to Argentina and Paraguay.