About Frigorífico Silva (Best Beef)

With half a century of history,  Frigorífico Silva, responsible for Best Beef, is one of the largest industries in the Gaúcho meat market, selling its products to the largest supermarket chains in Brazil, such as Carrefour, Pão de Açúcar, and Zaffari, in addition to renowned restaurants and gourmet meat houses in several capitals, such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre. With a modern industrial park, Frigorífico Silva meets the most demanding international quality standards, being one of the few Brazilian companies that export beef to all parts of the world.

Challenge

Magnus Costa, Marketing Director at Frigorífico Silva, explains that investing in safe packaging is part of the company's sustainability strategy, which includes the quest to reduce food waste. "We know that the duration of cuts handled in supermarket butchers is 2 to 3 days, whereas pieces that already arrive at retail packaged can have a shelf life of up to 60 days on chilled shelves, maintaining the quality of the protein. This increase of shelf life greatly reduces retail losses, but this can only be achieved with excellent packaging technology", he points out.

Magnus Costa also highlighted that the partnership with Cryovac expands efforts with food safety: “Ensuring safety in all our processes is something non-negotiable for us, and the packaging factor counts a lot so that the product remains safe throughout its cycle of life. In our production chain, the meat is portioned and packaged under vacuum or in a modified atmosphere in an extremely controlled environment, preserving the food and eliminating points of contact with the piece throughout the entire logistical process.”

Solution

Frigorífico Silva is the first Brazilian industry to use the Cryovac Darfresh on Tray system, packaging with a tray that has a high barrier "skin" lid film and meets the sophistication of cuts in the Black Label category, such as Filet Mignon, Prime Rib, Rum Steak, T-Bone, among others.

The vacuum packaging protection system features high barrier sealing that prevents oxidation and increases the product's shelf life, reducing losses by up to 35%, mainly in retail. Furthermore, the technology reinforces the natural maturation of the meat and guarantees its freshness and the maintenance of its flavors for longer.

Another fundamental factor for the success of this project is the compact CRYOVAC DM 100 equipment. The DM100's filling capacity reaches ten units per minute and, as it is a benchtop machine, it does not require investments in adapting the industrial plant, making it accessible and economical for processors of different sizes. Furthermore, its innovative cutting process ensures full use of the cover film, reducing packaging material waste by 40% when compared to conventional Skin and ATM systems.