Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • October 2025
    • September 2025
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Subscribe
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. October 2025
    2. September 2025
    3. August 2025
    4. 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    5. July 2025
    6. June 2025
    7. 2025 Innovation supplement
    8. May 2025
    9. April 2025
    10. March 2025
    11. 2025 Buildings supplement
    12. February 2025
    13. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    14. January 2025
    15. December 2024
    16. November 2024
    17. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    18. October 2024
    19. September 2024
    20. August 2024
    21. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    22. July 2024
    23. June 2024
    24. 2024 Innovation supplement
    25. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    26. May 2024
    27. April 2024
    28. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    29. March 2024
    30. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    31. February 2024
    32. January 2024
    33. December 2023
    34. November 2023
    35. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    36. October 2023
    37. September 2023
    38. Health Supplement
    Featured

    October 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    October 2, 2025
    Recent

    October 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    October 2, 2025

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025

    August 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    August 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Business

Smithfield Foods forms strategic alliance with Spanish meat producer

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverNovember 7, 20232 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

US meat giant Smithfield Foods’ has formed a strategic alliance with Spanish producer of charcuterie and other packaged meat products, Argal Alimentation.

Smithfield’s European operations will assume a 50.1% stake in Argal, based on a medium-term plan with the agreed framework of joint management.

Smithfield is owned by the world’s largest pork company, China’s WH Group. It said the agreement partners Argal with a ‘global food company with strong distribution channels, a vertically integrated supply chain and other assets to accelerate the company’s growth’.

Argal offers a wide range of charcuterie and other packaged meats, including cooked ham, cured ham, bacon, turkey, cold cuts, sausages, fuet, pâtés, among others as well as ready-to-eat meals, all made with high-quality raw materials.

It has production centres in Catalonia, Navarra and Extremadura, and exports to more than 30 countries through subsidiaries or distributors. It declared revenues of approximately €440 million for the 2023 fiscal year.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods employs nearly 60,000 people in seven countries and partners with thousands of farmers around the world.

The companies will work together to achieve operational synergies and expand Argal’s reach into new markets.

Growth possibilities

Argal Group chairman Antonio Escribá and CEO José María Orteu: “This alliance will contribute to strengthening Argal Group’s growth possibilities, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in internationalisation, technological evolution, sustainability and competitiveness in general, allowing it to face current and future challenges regarding the evolution of society and the business world in general and in particular food and its different marketing channels to customers and consumers.”

Luis Cerdan Ibanez, executive vice president, European pperations, Smithfield Foods added:

“Our investment in Argal is consistent with our strategy to grow our portfolio of packaged meat products in Europe. Argal’s product quality, employees and management team make this alliance a solid platform for our growth in Spain and Europe.”

WH Group has leading pork market shares in China, the US and certain markets in Europe.

Wan Long, WH Group chairman, said: “This alliance enables WH Group to establish its presence in Spain, an important and strategic market in Europe. It also aligns with the company’s plan to further expand its global business with packaged meat products as its core business.

“We believe that the investment will enhance the Company’s competitiveness in Europe, thereby strengthening its leading position in the global market.”

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleAHDB sector chairs to discuss proposed levy hikes and take questions during online event this week
Next Article Thinking of standing for the NPA Pig Industry Group? ‘You learn a huge amount and meet great people!’
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

Meat industry rejects calls to ban CO2 in abattoirs

October 20, 2025

Brazilian pork production forecast to rise, as it becomes a bigger player on the global stage

October 20, 2025

Defra welfare advisors call for CO2 to be phased out as a means of stunning pigs

October 16, 2025
Latest News

Meat industry rejects calls to ban CO2 in abattoirs

October 20, 2025

Brazilian pork production forecast to rise, as it becomes a bigger player on the global stage

October 20, 2025

Defra welfare advisors call for CO2 to be phased out as a means of stunning pigs

October 16, 2025
Sponsored Content

Serious about pig welfare? So are we

October 16, 2025

All Vaccines Are Not Equal

September 15, 2025
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Unit Manager – Ref 1788 Northern Ireland

    • County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1787 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson/FarmWorker – Ref 1786 Essex

    • Essex
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.