SAO PAULO, Aug 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Shareholders of Brazilian food processing companies Marfrig and BRF, two heavyweights in the global meat industry, on Tuesday approved a merger that still needs approval by a government regulator.

Brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef and chicken, as well as a major consumer, and the new entity named MBRF would be a sizeable global player.

Marfrig previously controlled about 60 percent of BRF shares.

"The companies remain confident in the completion of the operation, which still needs final approval" from Brazil's Cade national competition authority, a joint statement said.

Cade is weighing an appeal from another meat company, Minerva, to stop the merger it argues could leave Saudi investment fund SALIC with a dominant market position as a shareholder in both MBRF and Minerva.

If approved, MBRF would have 130,000 employees in 117 countries and a production capacity of eight million tons per year, making it one of the largest in the world.