Fast food franchises will use national meat

Richard Espinosa, Coordinating Minister of production, said yesterday that in six months, hamburgers sold in fast-food chains will no longer have imported meat, but it will be replaced by national product.

Currently, most comes from abroad, since the franchise standards require a percentage of specific fat (22%) and high quality standards which are not found in the country.

To follow the standards, agreements will be made with private companies who have experience in the slaughtering and processing of meat, like Agropesa, of the group La Favorita.

The company processes 15 000 tonnes of beef a year. According to his Manager, Ricardo Salazar, has advanced to a technique that reaches the  percentage of fat required by fast-food chains, by adding pork fat.

According to the sector, fast food franchises require about 900 tons of meat a year that can be covered locally if the price is according to the averages that the franchises have been paying, in order to prevent a rise in the prices of hamburgers.

The country produces 220 000 tonnes of beef a year. For the Minister Ponce firms such as Agropesa could become centres of recruitment of the national production of small and large entrepreneurs, with the intention that in the medium term, the country might think in exporting  Ecuadorian meat.