Brazil Rendered Products Market- Trend Analysis & Forecasts

The Brazil rendered products market is witnessing steady growth, driven by rising global demand for sustainable animal protein derivatives, pet food ingredients, and biofuels. In 2024, Brazil produced over ** million metric tons of rendered products, making it the second-largest market after the United States. Key segments include tallow, meat and bone meal (MBM), and poultry meal. With exports valued at over US$ ** billion in 2024, Brazil plays a vital role in global supply chains. The market is poised to grow at a CAGR of **% from 2025 to 2030, supported by growing demand in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Market/ Product Overview

The Brazil rendered products market forms a critical link in the country’s livestock and meat processing value chain. Rendering involves converting animal by-products such as fat, bones, and offal into high-value materials like tallow, meat and bone meal (MBM), and poultry meal. These outputs are key inputs in sectors like animal feed, pet food, oleochemicals, and renewable biodiesel. In 2024, Brazil’s rendering industry processed **% of all animal slaughter waste, translating to over ** million metric tons of material.

Market size was valued at US$ ** billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$ ** billion by 2030. This growth is fueled by the expansion of Brazil’s meat processing industry, which slaughtered over ** million cattle, ** million pigs, and ** billion poultry birds in 2024. Each of these livestock categories contributes substantial raw material for rendering.

Brazil’s strategic geographic position and cost-effective meat production make it a key global supplier of rendered materials. Tallow exports alone contributed over US$ ** million in 2024, with major destinations including China, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the U.S. Regulatory improvements and traceability systems have enhanced Brazil’s competitiveness and access to high-value markets. However, domestic consumption, particularly in biofuels and pet food, is also rising rapidly.

Environmental benefits of rendering—such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste—are boosting its acceptance. As sustainability becomes central to agri-industrial operations, rendering is set to play an increasingly pivotal role in Brazil’s agribusiness future.

Brazil Significance in the Global Rendered Products Supply

Brazil is one of the most influential players in the global meat processing industry, ranking among the top three producers and exporters of beef, chicken, and pork. In 2024, Brazil exported over ** million tonnes of beef, ** million tonnes of chicken, and ** million tonnes of pork, positioning itself as a reliable supplier to over 150 countries. This robust meat processing infrastructure underpins the country’s large-scale rendering industry.

The close integration between slaughterhouses, meatpackers, and rendering units ensures the efficient utilization of by-products. With over 400 meat processing plants approved for export and hundreds more catering to domestic needs, Brazil generates a substantial volume of raw material for rendering every year. In addition to meeting domestic demand, these by-products are processed into export-grade rendered products, especially tallow and MBM.

Brazil’s rendered products support downstream industries across regions that lack sufficient local animal slaughtering operations. For instance, MBM is widely used in Southeast Asian and African countries for poultry and aquaculture feed. Meanwhile, tallow is critical in North America and the EU for biodiesel production.

Government support, international certifications (SIF), and logistics infrastructure have helped Brazil gain market access to developed economies despite phytosanitary concerns. Brazil's meat exports contribute over US$ ** billion annually, of which around **% value is indirectly derived from rendering. Thus, the rendered products sector is inseparable from Brazil’s broader livestock economy, reflecting its global importance and impact on sustainability, food security, and circular economy practices.

Brazil Rendered Products Supply & Demand Trend

Brazil’s rendered products production is on a consistent upward trajectory, paralleling the expansion in meat production and exports. In 2024, Brazil rendered ** million tonnes of raw material, yielding around ** million tonnes of finished products such as tallow, poultry meal, feather meal, and MBM. This represents a **% increase compared to 2023, fueled by higher poultry and pork slaughter.

Domestic demand for rendered products is also rising. The biofuel sector consumed over **million tonnes of tallow in 2024 for biodiesel production, accounting for **% of total tallow usage. The National Biodiesel Production and Use Program (PNPB) mandates blending requirements, increasing demand for low-carbon feedstocks like tallow.

In parallel, the pet food industry, which grew at **% annually over the last five years, heavily depends on high-protein meals from rendering. Brazilian pet food exports surpassed US$ ** million in 2024, supported by rising international demand for natural protein ingredients.

While domestic consumption is expanding, exports remain essential. Over ** thousand tonnes of rendered products were exported in 2024, particularly to China, Vietnam, Chile, and the EU. Poultry meal and MBM are the top exported items, valued for their high digestibility and protein content.

As Brazil’s meat sector further modernizes and integrates sustainability, rendering capacity is projected to rise to ** million tonnes by 2030. This will support growing global and domestic demand while minimizing environmental waste from animal slaughter processes.

Market Growth Factors

The growth of Brazil’s rendered products market is primarily driven by the expansion of the livestock sector, which ensures a consistent supply of raw material for rendering. With Brazil maintaining its status as the world’s leading chicken exporter and second-largest beef producer, the country benefits from a year-round availability of rendering inputs, strengthening its position in the global market.

Increasing global demand for sustainable protein and fat derivatives in animal feed and pet nutrition is also a major growth factor. Brazil’s rendered meals, such as MBM and poultry meal, are high in protein, cost-effective, and widely accepted in livestock feed formulas. The growth of aquaculture in Asia and Africa further boosts demand for digestible protein sources, especially from Brazilian exporters.

Tallow-based biodiesel is another key growth avenue. Brazil’s biodiesel blending mandates (currently at 14% in 2024) ensure stable and growing demand for rendered fats. The potential for regulatory increases to B15 or B20 by 2030 could further raise domestic tallow consumption.

Technological advancements in rendering, including low-temperature processing and automated quality controls, have enhanced output quality and operational efficiency. This has opened opportunities in premium markets, particularly the EU and Japan.

Additionally, Brazil’s competitiveness in logistics, access to ports like Santos and Paranaguá, and favorable exchange rates improve the cost-efficiency of rendered product exports. Supportive regulations, including the Ministry of Agriculture’s SIF certification and traceability programs, enhance Brazil’s global reputation for sanitary control and product consistency, reinforcing demand.

Market Restraints & Challenges

Despite its strong fundamentals, the Brazil rendered products market faces several structural and operational challenges. One of the primary concerns is the volatility in raw material supply, particularly during disease outbreaks such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or avian influenza, which can disrupt slaughter operations and reduce rendering inputs. Climate variability and feed costs also impact livestock slaughter rates and therefore, rendered volumes.

Export dependency exposes the industry to risks related to international sanitary regulations. Periodic bans from importing countries—triggered by sanitary alerts or political trade tensions—can affect rendered product flow and revenue. For instance, temporary bans by China and Indonesia in previous years caused market uncertainty and inventory pileups.

The industry also faces environmental and odor management challenges, particularly in densely populated areas. While rendering is more sustainable than landfilling waste, it still emits odors and wastewater, leading to resistance from local communities and tightening of environmental licensing.

High logistical costs, especially inland transportation, erode margins for small and medium-sized processors. Brazil’s dependence on road freight for raw material collection and export delivery contributes to these expenses.

Finally, access to high-value markets like the EU remains partially restricted for certain rendered products due to traceability gaps and past non-compliance. Harmonizing standards and investing in digital tracking remain critical to unlocking new market potential and reducing export rejections.

Brazil Rendered Products Industry: Supply Chain Constraints & Challenges

The rendered products supply chain in Brazil is complex, relying heavily on the timely coordination between slaughterhouses, collection centers, and rendering facilities. The perishability of raw materials poses major constraints, requiring rapid processing within 24–48 hours post-slaughter to maintain quality and minimize contamination. Rural areas often lack sufficient cold storage and logistics infrastructure, increasing spoilage risks.

Transportation bottlenecks remain a critical challenge, as Brazil’s road-based logistics system is overburdened and vulnerable to delays. This impacts both the supply of raw material to rendering plants and the export of finished products to ports. Seasonal rainfall and flooding in key regions like Mato Grosso and Paraná further disrupt transport schedules.

In the value chain, small processors struggle to access consistent raw material and often operate with limited economies of scale, affecting their ability to meet international quality standards. Regulatory compliance costs are high, especially for export certifications and environmental licenses, posing barriers for new entrants.

Fragmentation also limits supply chain efficiency, as many rendering units are not vertically integrated with slaughterhouses, leading to coordination gaps. Waste segregation at source is inconsistent, affecting yield and safety. To enhance value chain performance, Brazil’s rendering sector must invest in integration, cold chain logistics, and digital traceability platforms.

Brazil Rendered Products Market Segmentation

The Brazil rendered products market is segmented based on product type, source species, end-use application, and geography. By product type, the major segments include tallow, meat and bone meal (MBM), poultry meal, feather meal, and blood meal. In 2024, tallow accounted for the largest share at **% by value, driven by biodiesel and oleochemical applications. MBM and poultry meal together represented **%, largely consumed in animal feed and pet food formulations.

By source, poultry contributes the largest volume of rendered material, accounting for over **% of processed inputs, followed by cattle at **% and swine at **%. This reflects the scale of Brazil’s poultry industry, which leads global exports. Poultry meal is in high demand due to its superior digestibility and protein content compared to MBM.

In terms of application, animal feed accounts for the majority of consumption at **%, followed by biodiesel (**%), pet food (**%), and others including oleochemicals and pharmaceuticals (**%). The fastest-growing segment is pet food, with exports rising at over **% CAGR, particularly to the U.S. and EU.

Geographically, major production hubs are concentrated in Paraná, São Paulo, Goiás, and Mato Grosso, where large slaughterhouses and integrated agribusinesses operate. These states are also well-connected to export ports. Export-oriented rendering facilities are SIF-certified and located near Santos and Paranaguá ports. The domestic market remains strong in the Southeast and South regions, where demand for feed and biofuels is highest. Regional specialization enables diversification and risk mitigation in supply and demand dynamics.

Rendered Products Price Setting Power of Brazil

Brazil holds moderate to strong price-setting power in global rendered products, particularly for tallow and MBM, due to its scale, cost efficiency, and year-round supply. Domestic pricing is influenced by the biodiesel policy, global feed ingredient demand, and currency exchange rates. Margins for exporters are typically higher due to favorable costs of raw material and logistics, though small players face margin compression from regulatory and transport expenses. Export prices for tallow averaged US$ **/MT in 2024, while MBM ranged between US$ **–**/MT, depending on protein content and destination. Integration with slaughterhouses helps larger players stabilize costs and capture better margins.

Over the past five years, Brazil’s export prices for tallow have fluctuated between US$ ** and US$ **/MT, influenced by global biodiesel demand and soybean oil prices. MBM and poultry meal export prices have remained relatively stable, averaging US$ **/MT and US$ **/MT respectively from 2020 to 2024. Domestically, wholesale prices for tallow rose by **% in 2022 amid biofuel demand surges, before stabilizing in 2024. Pet food-grade rendered meals command premium prices, with poultry meal reaching US$ **/MT. Price volatility is driven by feed market trends, freight costs, and exchange rate fluctuations.

Brazil Rendered Products Trade (Export & Import) Trend

Brazil is a net exporter of rendered products, with annual exports exceeding ** thousand tonnes in 2024 and valued at US$ ** billion. Tallow accounted for the largest share, with exports of ** thousand tonnes, driven by demand from Asia and the EU for biofuel feedstocks. China, the Netherlands, Singapore, Vietnam, and Chile are among the top destinations.

Meat and bone meal (MBM) and poultry meal exports also recorded steady growth, particularly to pet food and livestock feed markets in Southeast Asia. In 2024, MBM exports reached ** thousand tonnes, up **% from the previous year. Export volumes are supported by Brazil’s extensive slaughtering infrastructure and compliance with SIF and HACCP standards.

Imports remain minimal, focused primarily on specialized hydrolyzed meals or niche pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. Import volumes were under ** thousand tonnes in 2024.

Brazil’s rendered product trade is strategically tied to its meat processing and agribusiness exports. Favorable logistics via Santos, Paranaguá, and Rio Grande ports enable cost-efficient international shipments. Currency depreciation has further boosted export competitiveness. As more countries implement sustainability regulations, Brazilian rendering’s low-carbon footprint is likely to strengthen export demand.

Brazil Rendered Products Market Competitive Analysis

Brazil’s rendered products market is moderately consolidated, with large integrated players like JBS Biodiesel, BRF Ingredients, Minerva Fine Ingredients, and Frigol dominating production and exports. These companies benefit from economies of scale, internal supply chains, and SIF-certified facilities. JBS, for instance, operates over 20 rendering units and produces over ** thousand tonnes of tallow annually. Mid-sized players include Cooperativa Aurora and Vibra Agroindustrial, while regional cooperatives and third-party renderers serve local markets. Competitive advantages are derived from vertical integration, export certifications, and processing technology. Smaller firms face intense competition and rising compliance costs. Innovation in specialty products, such as low-ash poultry meal and sustainable tallow for cosmetics and oleochemicals, is emerging as a key differentiation factor.

List of Key Companies (Suppliers/ Processor/ Exporters),

■ JBS S.A.
■ BRF S.A.
■ Marfrig Global Foods
■ Minerva Foods
■ Frigol S.A.
■ Vibra Agroindustrial
■ Aurora Alimentos
■ Seara Alimentos
■ Agroceres PIC
■ Cofco International
■ Alibem Alimentos
■ Cooperativa Central Aurora
■ Master Agroindustrial
■ Agrosuper Brasil
■ Frimesa
■ Dom Porquito

Future Outlook

The Brazil rendered products market is set for robust growth, projected to reach US$ ** billion by 2030 at a CAGR of **%. Demand will be driven by increased biofuel blending mandates, global protein feed demand, and sustainability-led food system reforms. Technological innovation and supply chain integration will play pivotal roles in enhancing export competitiveness. Regulatory alignment with EU and Asian markets will open new high-value opportunities. With rising pet food and aquaculture sectors globally, Brazil is well-positioned to solidify its status as a premier rendered product supplier.