0
The Brazilian Food Industry Collaboration for Animal Welfare (COBEA), a first-of-its-kind pre-competitive collaborative initiative in the global south, was recently created with the purpose of promoting animal welfare in Brazil and in the long-term in South America. Initiated by the startup Produtor do Bem, the coalition has announced the membership of seven important players in the Brazilian animal protein chain, namely the IMC Group (International Meal Company, one of the largest food service platforms in Brazil with brands such as Pizza Hut and KFC), Special Dog Company (a prominent producer of pet food in Brazil), Minerva Foods (leading meat producer), JBS Brasil (leading meat producer), Planalto Ovos (a pioneering company in the large-scale production of cage-free eggs), Mantiqueira (Brazil’s largest egg producer) and Danone Brazil (leading global dairy producer).
In addition to the food sector, COBEA is open to member companies from the pet food and other sectors that rely on animals and their products as part of their business. The initiative recognizes the importance of collaboration between all members of the supply chain. “Animal welfare is a complex issue that requires an approach that addresses the needs and expectations of a broad group of stakeholders. COBEA offer an opportunity for the entire value chain to join forces and work together”, says Executive Director, Elisa Tjarnstrom.
At its first meeting, COBEA appointed its first president, the Sustainable Development Manager of Brazilian pet food brand Special Dog Company, João Paulo Camarinha Figueira, to lead the coalition.
“From the beginning, it was clear that COBEA has a genuine purpose to advance the issue of animal welfare, building a collaborative environment between companies. Ensuring the well-being of poultry, pigs, fish and other species that provide animal protein to the pet market is an objective that we will seek to achieve in an organized, strategic and consistent manner, through our participation in COBEA. We believe that the union of companies committed to advances in animal welfare, combining specific experiences and skills, will bring more energy and forward movement in achieving our objectives”, states the president.
According to the director of Brazilian egg producer Planalto Ovos, Daniel Mohallem, COBEA offers companies the opportunity to work across industries to continue improving their practices and remain at the forefront of animal welfare.
“The opportunity to express our opinion on relevant issues and ensure representation with official bodies is essential for the company. We believe that sharing learnings and good practices will generate and disseminate knowledge, raising the level of animal welfare in the production sector as well as increasing consumer awareness. Significant improvements in this area will only be achieved through cooperation between the different links in the production chain. Furthermore, transparency and reliability of information are fundamental aspects for the success of this initiative”, he notes.
Joint solutions to accelerate progress
COBEA was born from a growing interest and proactivity in the Brazilian animal protein chain in terms of welfare and sustainable practices. The idea arose in 2023, when it became clear that there was an appetite for greater dialogue and collaboration in the sector, involving all the relevant links in the value chain. The initiative has been created as an independent non-profit organisation, and in addition to the seven initial members, other participants will be gradually included.
“Produtor do Bem has enabled the creation of COBEA because we believe that industry collaboration, in addition to certification, is needed to make the food system more sustainable. There is a need for systemic changes, where everyone involved is necessary in order to achieve progress,” says the CEO of Produtor do Bem, José Ciocca.
The co-founder of Produtor do Bem, Leonardo Vega, reinforces the importance of this collaboration, also in terms of demonstrating the proactivity of the Brazilian industry on a global level. “We are committed to showing the world that Brazil not only produces on a large scale, but is also making genuine commitments to animal welfare and sustainability. Through COBEA, it will be possible to share progress and contribute to global conversations about the sustainable future of animal production,” he concludes.
October 4, 2024 - COBEA
