Does the company name JBS ring any bells to you, members?

For those who are unaware, JBS is a Brazilian meat company and is also the biggest meat manufacturer not just in Australia, but in the whole world.

So if you have ever bought any Primo ham, Huon salmon, McDonald's burgers or meat from major supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths or Aldi, you have most likely already eaten JBS products.

However, recent news has revealed the multi-billion dollar company isn’t all what it seems, and may have been built on corruption and bribery…

JBS's expansion has made it the biggest meat company in Australia. Credit: ABC: Four Corners/Ryan Sheridan.​

JBS has its roots as a small butchery in regional Brazil, first launched in 1953 by businessman Jose Batista Sobrinho.

Since then, Mr Sobrinho's family empire expanded throughout Brazil, South America, and North America as his sons, Joesley and Wesley Batista, later on took over the company.

But on Monday, Australia's leading investigative journalism program, Four Corners, reported about an investigation conducted into JBS' expansion in Australia, which revealed that the two billionaire brothers willingly broke the law just to get what they want.

The brothers confessed that they paid bribes to Brazil's finance minister and other politicians to gain funding for the company – the same funding that gave JBS control over Australian Meat Holdings.

And while the Batista brothers no longer sit on JBS' board or occupy executive management positions, they still retain huge stakes in the meat manufacturing company.

The company is also set on continuing to expand more and more into the Australian market, with JBS buying Australia's second-largest producer of farmed salmon, Huon Aquaculture, for $425 million in 2021.

Brothers Wesley (left) and Joesley Batista (right) took over the company after their father. Credit: Reuters: Paulo Whitaker, Adriano Machado.
​

Last Tuesday morning, JBS Australia issued a statement in response to the Four Corners report.

"JBS Australia is a proud Australian corporate citizen with a strong brand and reputation," the statement read.

"We are a large employer in both metropolitan areas and across regional and rural Australia. In most cases, in regional areas, we are the largest employer in these towns and regions. Our company has a strong relationship with, and supports, thousands of farming families and primary producers across Australia."

"Since 2007, JBS Australia has a strong track record of investing and growing its Australian business and compliance with Australian law."

So, what do these allegations and statements mean for you, members?

The JBS Foods scandal has left many shoppers wondering if they should continue buying products from the company.

While the allegations against JBS are serious, it's also important to remember that the company has not been charged with any crime in Australia.

At the end of the day, it’s up to shoppers to decide whether they want to continue supporting a company that is embroiled in a corruption scandal.

What are your thoughts, folks?

 

[LadyOwl]

If there were no corrupt politicians then corporate corruption would not occur
At least not to this extent
Blame the governments as well!

 

[Diane D]

Meat company JBS under fire for corruption allegations​

Does the company name JBS ring any bells to you, members?

For those who are unaware, JBS is a Brazilian meat company and is also the biggest meat manufacturer not just in Australia, but in the whole world.

​

So if you have ever bought any Primo ham, Huon salmon, McDonald's burgers or meat from major supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths or Aldi, you have most likely already eaten JBS products.

However, recent news has revealed the multi-billion dollar company isn’t all what it seems, and may have been built on corruption and bribery…

JBS's expansion has made it the biggest meat company in Australia. Credit: ABC: Four Corners/Ryan Sheridan.​

JBS has its roots as a small butchery in regional Brazil, first launched in 1953 by businessman Jose Batista Sobrinho.

Since then, Mr Sobrinho's family empire expanded throughout Brazil, South America, and North America as his sons, Joesley and Wesley Batista, later on took over the company.

​

But on Monday, Australia's leading investigative journalism program, Four Corners, reported about an investigation conducted into JBS' expansion in Australia, which revealed that the two billionaire brothers willingly broke the law just to get what they want.

The brothers confessed that they paid bribes to Brazil's finance minister and other politicians to gain funding for the company – the same funding that gave JBS control over Australian Meat Holdings.

​

And while the Batista brothers no longer sit on JBS' board or occupy executive management positions, they still retain huge stakes in the meat manufacturing company.

The company is also set on continuing to expand more and more into the Australian market, with JBS buying Australia's second-largest producer of farmed salmon, Huon Aquaculture, for $425 million in 2021.

Brothers Wesley (left) and Joesley Batista (right) took over the company after their father. Credit: Reuters: Paulo Whitaker, Adriano Machado.
​

Last Tuesday morning, JBS Australia issued a statement in response to the Four Corners report.

"JBS Australia is a proud Australian corporate citizen with a strong brand and reputation," the statement read.

"We are a large employer in both metropolitan areas and across regional and rural Australia. In most cases, in regional areas, we are the largest employer in these towns and regions. Our company has a strong relationship with, and supports, thousands of farming families and primary producers across Australia."

"Since 2007, JBS Australia has a strong track record of investing and growing its Australian business and compliance with Australian law."

​

So, what do these allegations and statements mean for you, members?

The JBS Foods scandal has left many shoppers wondering if they should continue buying products from the company.

While the allegations against JBS are serious, it's also important to remember that the company has not been charged with any crime in Australia.

At the end of the day, it’s up to shoppers to decide whether they want to continue supporting a company that is embroiled in a corruption scandal.

What are your thoughts, folks?

next time I go to my local butcher I will ask if they are associated with this corrupt business...it's getting all a bit too hard

 

[Ricci]

What are our options? Where do the small independent butchers get their meat from? Surely somewhere down the line, producers, abattoirs and the like have a connection with JBS. Does this mean that we should all give up on meat products? Also, if Woolies, Coles and Aldi all get their meat from the same places how come Coles and Woolies are not more competitive with Aldi? How did we, as a country get in such a parlous state? Bring back all these industries to Australian owned I say. I have always been of the opinion that anything sold to an overseas entity should be on a leasehold basis only, thereby keeping overall ownership in Australia.

 

[Joyce]

Well said Ricci !!

 

[JustPat]

Ricci you are right as is the case in other countries your have to have a national of the country as a partner to conduct business but not here anyone can pretty well take over.

 

[Ronald Scott]

Meat company JBS under fire for corruption allegations​

Does the company name JBS ring any bells to you, members?

For those who are unaware, JBS is a Brazilian meat company and is also the biggest meat manufacturer not just in Australia, but in the whole world.

​

So if you have ever bought any Primo ham, Huon salmon, McDonald's burgers or meat from major supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths or Aldi, you have most likely already eaten JBS products.

However, recent news has revealed the multi-billion dollar company isn’t all what it seems, and may have been built on corruption and bribery…

JBS's expansion has made it the biggest meat company in Australia. Credit: ABC: Four Corners/Ryan Sheridan.​

JBS has its roots as a small butchery in regional Brazil, first launched in 1953 by businessman Jose Batista Sobrinho.

Since then, Mr Sobrinho's family empire expanded throughout Brazil, South America, and North America as his sons, Joesley and Wesley Batista, later on took over the company.

​

But on Monday, Australia's leading investigative journalism program, Four Corners, reported about an investigation conducted into JBS' expansion in Australia, which revealed that the two billionaire brothers willingly broke the law just to get what they want.

The brothers confessed that they paid bribes to Brazil's finance minister and other politicians to gain funding for the company – the same funding that gave JBS control over Australian Meat Holdings.

​

And while the Batista brothers no longer sit on JBS' board or occupy executive management positions, they still retain huge stakes in the meat manufacturing company.

The company is also set on continuing to expand more and more into the Australian market, with JBS buying Australia's second-largest producer of farmed salmon, Huon Aquaculture, for $425 million in 2021.

Brothers Wesley (left) and Joesley Batista (right) took over the company after their father. Credit: Reuters: Paulo Whitaker, Adriano Machado.
​

Last Tuesday morning, JBS Australia issued a statement in response to the Four Corners report.

"JBS Australia is a proud Australian corporate citizen with a strong brand and reputation," the statement read.

"We are a large employer in both metropolitan areas and across regional and rural Australia. In most cases, in regional areas, we are the largest employer in these towns and regions. Our company has a strong relationship with, and supports, thousands of farming families and primary producers across Australia."

"Since 2007, JBS Australia has a strong track record of investing and growing its Australian business and compliance with Australian law."

​

So, what do these allegations and statements mean for you, members?

The JBS Foods scandal has left many shoppers wondering if they should continue buying products from the company.

While the allegations against JBS are serious, it's also important to remember that the company has not been charged with any crime in Australia.

At the end of the day, it’s up to shoppers to decide whether they want to continue supporting a company that is embroiled in a corruption scandal.

What are your thoughts, folks?

After watching 4 Corners its not hard to put 2 and 2 together, Corruption or illegal activities if proven should witness those entities be forfeited to the Crown. (Government of Australia) Meantime I urge Coles Woolworths etc to examine this Groups activities very carefully and do research into the practices in Australia. Certainly the human stories of employee neglect left me speechless. I will not be buying their products and the Government should initiate a full blown investigation of this Groups history and its present actions. I will not knowingly be acquiring their products in the future however I am please to say I don't think I have.

 

[Jennie]

After watching 4 Corners its not hard to put 2 and 2 together, Corruption or illegal activities if proven should witness those entities be forfeited to the Crown. (Government of Australia) Meantime I urge Coles Woolworths etc to examine this Groups activities very carefully and do research into the practices in Australia. Certainly the human stories of employee neglect left me speechless. I will not be buying their products and the Government should initiate a full blown investigation of this Groups history and its present actions. I will not knowingly be acquiring their products in the future however I am please to say I don't think I have.

Unfortunately one of our current federal politicians is involved with this company. The government couldn't do a satisfactory investigation.