Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 8/7/19


JBS USA has acquired a case ready meat packaging plant in Lenoir, N.C., it previously leased starting in 2014, according to a report on Newstopicnews.com.

The U.S. subsidiary of Brazil’s JBS SA agreed to pay $40 million for the plant soon after it settled a lawsuit it filed against the seller, Merchant Distributors Inc., in U.S. District Court in Statesville, N.C.

The legal dispute began in late 2017 with JBS accusing Merchant Distributors of blocking JBS from launching a multi-million-dollar renovation. The two sides settled the lawsuit last month, and a filing to dismiss the litigation was filed Aug. 1.

JBS originally planned to spend $9 million to renovate the facility, including an expansion of work areas, equipment upgrades and employee facility additions, according to the lawsuit.

JBS confirmed the acquisition in an email to Newstopicnews.com, but declined to outline plans regarding future renovations. The plant provides products to Food Lion and Lowes Food, according to the article.

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