Continental Grain Company global owner & investor
The Continental Grain Company is a global owner and investor in companies that touch every aspect of the food, agribusiness, and commodity supply chains. The company applies its capital, talent, and deep industry expertise to build long-term value. Its focus is to serve farmers and food manufacturers by investing in and partnering with their suppliers to maximize their productivity and profitability.
Continental Grain Company
Founded in 1813 in Arlon, Belgium, the Continental Grain Company is one of the world’s largest privately held companies. With a diverse portfolio of assets across several asset classes, the company creates long-term value for its management teams and investors. The company’s portfolio includes direct investments, publicly traded securities, and venture capital. Its operations span many countries, including the U.S., Latin America, and China.
After World War Company Expand Operations
The company began to expand operations after World War II. In the United States, Continental Grain set up offices in Chicago and New York. It also purchased a grain elevator in St. Louis and eventually had seven grain elevators nationwide. By 1940, the company’s family had moved to the United States, and its headquarters were relocated to New York. In 1945, Michel Fribourg was named CEO of the company. Since then, the company has expanded its processing and storage network, extending the chain from farmers to consumers.
Employee
The Continental Grain Company has a wealth of employee data available online. The company uses Zippia to compile information from employee self-reports. It also collects data from public data sources and other proprietary companies. This includes BLS, H1B filings, and company filings.
Cargill
Concerns about Cargill’s proposed acquisition of Cargill Continental Grain Company have been expressed by a range of groups and individuals. Many, including Nebraska Attorney General Don Stenberg, the Clean Water Action Alliance, the IATP, the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, the Minnesota Catholic Conference, and other organizations, believe that the deal could distort the marketplace and result in higher prices for producers.
In addition, several groups are concerned about the concentration of agriculture markets. These include the American Agriculture Movement, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Clean Water Action Alliance, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, and the Office of Hispanic Ministry. The Department of Agriculture finds that there is no reason to worry about the concentration of grain markets in the United States.
Largest poultry producer
Cargill has also announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Sanderson Farms. The two companies will combine operations in poultry, creating the nation’s third largest poultry producer. The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2021.
Sanderson Farms
Cargill and Sanderson Farms are closing a deal that will merge the two companies, and will create the world’s third largest chicken producer. The deal was first announced in August and has been the subject of antitrust scrutiny from the US Department of Justice. In December, the Justice Department launched an investigation into the deal, but the two companies have resolved any issues before closing the deal.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, but Sanderson Farms admitted that the deal might not be completed during that time. As the first part of the deal, Sanderson Farms will be combined with another company, Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of Continental Grain. The combined company will be known as Wayne-Sanderson Farms. It will continue to be headquartered in Oakwood, Ga. It will continue to be led by Clint Rivers, who previously served as the CEO of both companies.
Sanderson Farms is one of the nation’s largest chicken producers, with hatcheries and chicken processing facilities located throughout the Southeast. The new company will combine Sanderson’s chicken processing operations with those of Wayne Farms, another large poultry producer.
Michel Fribourg
Michel Fribourg joined Continental Grain Company in 1931 and worked in different offices until the start of World War II. During that time, his family moved to the United States where he served in the U.S. Army intelligence. After the War, he became a citizen of the United States. In 1944, his father passed away, and he became the fifth generation of his family to run the company. He served as its C.E.O. from 1944 to 1988, and then became chairman until 1994.
Michel Fribourg’s legacy lives on through his son, Paul. He spent most of his career with the company, starting out as a grain merchandiser. From there, he rose the corporate ladder. In the late 1980s, he exerted his influence over the company by realigning its international grain operations. In the process, he established the World Grain and Oilseeds Processing Group.
After the war, the Fribourg family fled to the United States. Initially, the company’s operations were primarily in Antwerp, but it soon expanded into other cities. By 1921, it had set up offices in Paris and Chicago. In 1922, it established an operation in New York. With $50,000 in capital, it began procuring grains for export.
