SL Alimentos modernization plan was presented to Governor Ratinho Junior this Tuesday (19). The investments are aimed at modernizing cereal processing and producing concentrated proteins and plant-based meats.

SL Alimentos, a Paraná-based industry specializing in oat and other cereal processing, presented a R$ 80 million investment plan to Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior this Tuesday (19) for the modernization of the company's factory in Mauá da Serra, in the northern region of the state.

The company, which employs over 600 people in the region, is the Brazilian leader in the oat processing market. The investments are aimed at modernizing oat processing, with the construction of a new mill, and at producing concentrated proteins and plant-based meats.

"An investment like this represents more job creation and strengthens the local economy. It is a company that processes its food in Paraná, adding value to the entire supply chain and generating income within the state. Paraná was the Brazilian state with the highest economic activity growth in 2023 according to the Central Bank, and this is due, among other reasons, to initiatives like this," said the governor.

Out of the presented plan, R$ 30 million has already been invested by the company, and another R$ 50 million will be applied starting this year. "This industry is being set up to meet the highest quality standards of the global market. Paraná is a state open to investment, which encourages entrepreneurs to stay here; that’s why we have the confidence to announce plans like this, harvest our grains, and process them here," said SL Alimentos CEO Roberta Meneghel.

MODERNIZATION – The investments already made were divided into an industrial plant for the production of concentrated proteins from dry legumes, focusing on bean processing, and a plant-based meat factory, as well as packaging and finished product warehouses. The remaining amount will be allocated to expanding oat industrialization capacity, with the construction of a new automated mill, which will focus on meeting the quality standards required by the international market. The plan also includes the installation of state-of-the-art technologies that ensure the production of gluten-free foods.

Even with process automation, the investments foresee the hiring of local labor. Currently, about 10% of the economically active population of Mauá da Serra works directly for SL Alimentos.

"We are a small municipality with 10,000 inhabitants. An investment like this is transformative for the city's families. It impacts people's income and their quality of life," said Mayor Hermes Witchoff.

COMPANY – Founded in 1988, the company, which has a branch in São Paulo, processes 150,000 tons of cereals per year and has stood out in the B2B market as a manufacturer of oats for human consumption. The company has also participated in BRDE Labs Paraná, an open innovation program by the Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento do Extremo Sul (BRDE).

ATTENDANCE – Also present at the investment announcement were the State Secretary of Industry, Commerce, and Services, Ricardo Barros; the CEO of Invest Paraná, Eduardo Bekin; the Director of International Relations and Institutional Relations of Invest Paraná, Giancarlo Rocco; the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SL Alimentos, Luiz Meneghel Neto; and other company board members.

Photo: Roberto Dziura Jr/AEN
Source: Agência Estadual de Notícias do Paraná