Frigorífico Florida prepares to resume operations before the end of the year

Speaking from the Anuga 2025 fair, Pablo Avero, of Frigorífico Saturno, confirmed that plans to reactivate Frigorífico Florida are progressing well and that the plant could resume operations before the end of the year. “We have good expectations of getting everything finalized this year, and if we don’t manage to start slaughtering in December, we’ll definitely be operating in January,” he said.

Florida maintains its export approvals for Europe, the United States, Mexico, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and other third countries, although authorization for China remains suspended since the plant halted production. “It wasn’t revoked, only suspended. Once we change the company’s legal status and are re-registered, we’ll start the process to reactivate it,” Avero explained.

He emphasized that the plant “is in excellent condition” and that maintenance work is already underway after nine months without activity. “It’s ready to operate; only normal adjustments are needed,” he assured. The plant’s installed capacity is around 3,000 head per week, or about 450 per day.

At the same time, Avero announced that Saturno will participate in three trade fairs in China between late October and November as part of its international expansion strategy. “We’ll be present at China DAC, CIIE, and another fair focused more on hospitality and gastronomy,” he detailed.

With a long track record supplying the domestic market, Saturno also operates as one of Uruguay’s leading meat importers. Avero defended the role of imports in keeping consumer prices affordable. “Imports are what allow us to consume beef at reasonable prices. At Anuga we confirmed the strength of Brazil and Paraguay as suppliers—there’s product available, but you have to pay for it,” he said.