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Perspectives on global sourcing, international trade, protein markets and business growth across Central America and the Caribbean.
Why American chicken leads the Central American market
The USDA standard is not just a seal. It is a production, traceability and control system that opens doors in …
Cold chain: the backbone of protein distribution
From the plant in Delaware to the warehouse in San Salvador, maintaining −18 °C is not a detail: it is the qua…
The regional exclusivity model: beyond the generic intermediary
An exclusive representative is not an importer. It is the local operational arm of a global brand, with everyt…
110 years of Mountaire Farms: the supplier behind Mezal
From a small family operation in the 1900s to 8.2 million birds processed per week. Meet the company that prod…
Central America + Caribbean expansion: Mezal's roadmap
El Salvador and Honduras are the beginning. Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and the Caribbean are the next step.…
USDA Certification: what it really means for your business
A practical guide on what USDA certification is, why it matters in CA markets and what competitive advantages …
Why American chicken leads the Central American market
When a buyer in El Salvador or Honduras evaluates poultry protein options, American origin with USDA certification is not simply a preference; it's a de facto requirement in modern retail channels, hospitality, and premium foodservice.
The USDA Inspected seal represents a complete control ecosystem. Every bird processed under American standards undergoes federal in-line inspection, ensuring no growth hormones, that chilling processes meet strict parameters, and that full traceability exists from farm to point of sale. This is something regional local producers, with all the will in the world, cannot replicate at the same cost and scale.
Mountaire Farms, our exclusive supplier, processes more than 8.2 million birds per week across four plants in Delaware and North Carolina. That scale means consistency: the same cut, the same weight, the same color week after week. For a supermarket or restaurant chain, that predictability has enormous value.
The Central American market is at an inflection point. The emerging middle-class consumer in San Salvador or Tegucigalpa no longer accepts inconsistency. They want to know what they're buying, where it comes from, and that someone local answers if there's a problem. That's exactly where Mezal operates: as the bridge between the American plant and the local buyer, with real presence on the ground.