JBS transforms the World Cup into a platform to lead the barbecue market from start to finish
Data from Kantar Worldpanel shows that barbecue occasions grew by 22% in 2025 compared to the previous year.
In a World Cup year, JBS decided to transform barbecue into one of its main growth platforms in Brazil. With Maturatta Friboi and Seara advancing on different fronts for the occasion, the company is expanding its presence in practically the entire barbecue consumption basket, capturing the potential of its multi-protein portfolio.
This trend reflects important changes in consumer behavior. Brazilian barbecue has been incorporating an increasingly broad range of products and categories, driven by the diversification of proteins and the search for convenience and sharing.
Data from Kantar Worldpanel shows that barbecue occasions grew by 22% in 2025 compared to the previous year, reinforcing the category's relevance to the food industry and retail. The World Cup further amplifies this trend, with a 10% increase in meat sales during the tournament. Within this context, beef remains one of the most relevant categories for consumption occasions.
With the Maturatta Friboi brand, the company enlisted Ronaldinho Gaúcho to star in the new campaign for the Churrascatta line, reinforcing attributes linked to quality, tradition, and experience in Brazilian barbecue.
The campaign draws from a cultural territory already consolidated in the country. Market research shows that 86% of Brazilians associate football and barbecue, a connection that served as the basis for the concept "Football calls for barbecue, and this passion is complete with Maturatta". The communication explores different meanings of the word "calls", from the grill to the act of gathering friends around football.
“Maturatta was built to lead the barbecue territory within Friboi. It is a specialized brand, with cuts developed to deliver tenderness, flavor and a superior experience on this occasion, which gains even more relevance in a World Cup scenario, when gatherings increase and barbecue strengthens as one of the main consumption moments in Brazilian retail ,” says Renato Costa, president of Friboi.
While Maturatta Friboi reinforces its presence in beef, Seara expands JBS's operations in categories related to the "first stage" of barbecue.
Research conducted by the brand shows that 56% of Brazilian families intend to get together to watch the 2026 World Cup matches while having a barbecue. During the 2022 World Cup, the event generated an additional R$ 550 million in Brazilian retail sales. Among the best-performing categories during that period, sausages stood out, registering an increase of over R$ 31 million in sales compared to the normal seasonality of the period.
The brand enlisted Galvão Bueno and Arnaldo Cezar Coelho to star in the campaign "A real barbecue starts with Seara," connecting football and barbecue during the peak viewing and consumption period of the Brazilian calendar.
In addition, it launched a new line aimed at the so-called "first stage of the barbecue," including mini-hamburgers for grilling, sausage with curd cheese, smoked beef franks from the American Grill line, and the new Seara garlic paste.
“Seara’s goal is to start winning in the first half of the barbecue. Today, half of the barbecue basket is already made up of categories that go beyond beef, such as sausages, chicken, appetizers and side dishes. There is a significant opportunity to expand our presence precisely at these times, which gain even more relevance during the World Cup ,” says João Campos, president of Seara, who expects the brand's sales for this World Cup to be 40% higher compared to 2022.
The brand also sees room to develop new categories within the food retail sector. Garlic paste, for example, was created to stimulate cross-selling in supermarkets and bakeries, strengthening a category that has gained relevance in recent years during barbecues.
This trend reflects broader transformations in the Brazilian protein market. Today, chicken is featured in 29.7% of barbecue occasions in Brazil, solidifying its position as the third most consumed protein during this time. Simultaneously, pork cuts like ribs and bacon have gained popularity, while categories linked to convenience have experienced above-average market growth.
In a year considered strategic for consumption in this category, JBS aims to leverage the strength of its multi-protein portfolio to capture different moments of the barbecue occasion, combining leading brands, category expansion, and a greater presence within the Brazilian consumer basket.
Imports Imported volumes of sheep meat (fresh, frozen, processed and offal) into the UK remained...
According to the latest figures from food delivery giant Deliveroo, the number of specialized bur...
Hamburgers are already present in more than 70% of Brazilian homes. JBS, one of the world's larg...
