Michigan Ag Connection - Neogen Acquires Distributors in Argentina, Uruguay

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Neogen Acquires Distributors in Argentina, Uruguay
Michigan Ag Connection - 01/14/2020

Neogen Corp., a Lansing, Mich., company develops and markets products for food and animal safety, has acquired Productos Quimicos Magiar, a distributor of Neogen's food safety diagnostics for the past 20 years in Argentina and Uruguay. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

With the acquisition, the former Magiar operations will remain in the two countries, offering Neogen a physical presence in the Southern Cone region of South America, which has large beef and dairy populations with export markets. The operations will be managed through Neogen's Latin American operations and will offer direct sales of Neogen products into the two countries.

"The acquisition of Magiar's businesses in the two countries is a bet that we are making on ourselves," says Pierre Belhadj, senior director for the Latin American region for Neogen. "We will immediately recapture distributor profits and have a direct sales and technical service presence for our full suite of products in the Southern Cone. We have retained key personnel to ensure the same level of service and consistency Magiar's customers have come to expect from the company."

Magiar was founded in 1991 and has marketed diagnostic products for animal feed and food quality control.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service, Argentina is the world's fourth largest exporter of beef and veal, and Uruguay is the seventh largest. Argentina is also a leading exporter of milk.

Neogen's food safety division markets dehydrated culture media and diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases, and sanitation concerns. Its animal safety division develops animal genomics and manufactures animal health care products including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary instruments, wound care, and disinfectants.

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