South American Meat Products Company
SAMPCO (Sampco, Inc.) is a Chicago-based food trading and manufacturing company, founded 1963 and part of the JBS family, that distributes shelf-stable and frozen cooked meat products under the Hereford, Swift, Exeter, and SAMPCO brands to retail, foodservice, industrial, and pet food customers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What South American Meat Products Company does
Sampco, Inc. (South American Meat Products Company) is a Chicago-based, privately held food trading and manufacturing company founded in 1963 by George Zaslaw to develop and sustain the South American beef trade between the two hemispheres. The firm was acquired in 2001 by partners David Morrison and Richard Smaligo and subsequently became part of the JBS family of food companies, giving it access to a worldwide network of product development experts and manufacturing facilities across the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Europe. Operations are organized around four customer segments: Retail Consumers (shelf-stable canned and Hereford Rip 'N' Ready flexible pouch products), Food Service Operators (large-format canned items, pouches, and frozen cooked beef), Industrial Food Manufacturers (bulk canned goods, frozen cooked beef, beef extract, and flavorings), and specialty verticals including Pet Food Manufacturers, with fruit, vegetable, and fish products acting as adjacent offerings.
The product portfolio rests on three proprietary technology pillars: HACCP-grade supplier qualification with yearly Superior-rated independent audits and shipment-level certificates of analysis; shelf-stable pouch technology that delivers fully cooked, no-refrigeration protein products including Halal-certified options; and a custom beef extract process that concentrates simmered beef broth for savory, high-protein, zero-fat industrial ingredients. Heritage brands including Swift (founded 1855), Hereford (founded 1915), Exeter, and the SAMPCO house brand anchor shelf presence, while USDA label approval handling and carton optimization services add operational stickiness for industrial accounts.
The business model combines product sales across all three channels (retail, foodservice, industrial) with custom product development services. Go-to-market is sales-led, with a small Chicago-based team supported by JBS development resources in Argentina, Brazil, and Europe, serving customers ranging from the largest global food companies to niche market players. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales with a professional services overlay for custom formulation and development work; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through direct sales contact.
South American Meat Products Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South American Meat Products Company
- Legal name
- Sampco, LLC.
- Website
- https://sampcoinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SAMPCO (Sampco, Inc.) is a Chicago-based food trading and manufacturing company, founded 1963 and part of the JBS family, that distributes shelf-stable and frozen cooked meat products under the Hereford, Swift, Exeter, and SAMPCO brands to retail, foodservice, industrial, and pet food customers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South American Meat Products Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Processed Meat Products
- NAICS
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Food Manufacturing (311), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117)
- SIC
- Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Canned Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shelf-Stable Processed Meats (Canned, Retort Pouches, Jerky/Meat Snacks) (AFANAEAJ), Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG), Snacking & Single-Serve Protein Meals (Bowls, Bites, Packs) (AFANAFAH)
Keywords
Where South American Meat Products Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
South American Meat Products Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Food Product Manufacturing and Trading: SAMPCO actively trades a wide variety of food products globally including shelf-stable canned and flexible pouch products as well as frozen cooked beef items. Revenue is generated through product sales across Industrial, Food Service, and Retail sectors.
- Custom Product Development Services: Product development team creates customer solutions from basic cooked animal protein ingredients to consumer-ready shelf stable products. Services include new product development and formulation customization.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
South American Meat Products Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sampco manufactures and globally trades shelf-stable and frozen cooked meat and protein products across retail, foodservice, and industrial channels. Its portfolio spans canned meats, flexible pouches, IQF frozen cooked beef, beef extract, and flavorings under heritage brands including Hereford, Swift, Exeter, and SAMPCO. The company also offers custom product development, label/carton design, and HACCP quality assurance services to food manufacturers and operators.
Product overview
Sampco (South American Meat Products Company) is a food trading and manufacturing company founded in 1963, now part of the JBS family. The company offers a diverse portfolio of shelf-stable and frozen cooked meat products organized into four main product categories: Retail Products (canned corned beef, roast beef, luncheon meat, ham, chicken breast, and Hereford Rip 'N' Ready flexible pouch products under the Hereford, Swift, Exeter, and SAMPCO brands), Foodservice Products (large-format canned items, flexible pouches, and frozen cooked beef items), Industrial Products (canned goods, frozen cooked beef for manufacturing, beef extract/broth, and flavorings), and Specialty Products (fruits, vegetables, fish, and pet products). The company also provides services including quality assurance assistance, new product development, and label/carton design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hereford: Founded in 1915 to provide families with quality shelf-stable protein products for convenient, easy, and hearty meals. Offers canned corned beef, roast beef, luncheon meat, ham, chicken breast, and shelf-stable flexible pouches including Rip 'N' Ready line with beef ribs, shredded beef brisket, beef barbacoa, beef crumbles, taco filling, chili con carne, jambalaya dirty rice, black beans and beef, and meatballs with spaghetti sauce.
- Exeter
- Swift
- Swift Food Service
- SAMPCO Brand
Products and services
- Retail Shelf-Stable Meat Products
Quantifiable outcome
- Eliminates food safety issues through fully cooked processing
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use South American Meat Products Company
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
South American Meat Products Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
South American Meat Products Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- JBS Foods GroupcoreSAMPCO is part of the JBS family of food companies. JBS is one of the largest food companies globally, providing SAMPCO with worldwide network access for product development, manufacturing facilities, and global distribution capabilities. Development teams are located in US, Argentina, Brazil, and Europe through the JBS network.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
South American Meat Products Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hormel Foods: Major US packaged meats company with overlapping canned/luncheon meat portfolio (SPAM, chili, cured meats) plus extensive foodservice distribution — directly comparable on product format and customer base.
- Conagra Brands: Owns iconic canned meat brands (Hash, Armour) and broad shelf-stable protein portfolio across retail and foodservice — directly comparable on canned meat retail SKUs and ingredient supply.
- Bumble Bee Foods: Canned seafood brand (tuna, salmon, sardines) with shelf-stable distribution model — directly comparable on the fish specialty product line and shelf-stable retail format.
- Keystone Foods: Global protein supplier focused on foodservice and quick-service restaurant chains — directly comparable on bulk cooked protein distribution to foodservice operators.
Broad incumbents
- JBS USA: Parent organization and one of the world's largest meat processors; broader protein portfolio (beef, pork, poultry, prepared foods) but overlapping global beef trading capability.
- Tyson Foods: Largest US meat processor with deep foodservice presence and prepared/frozen protein lines — broader scale and product range but overlapping customer segments.
- Smithfield Foods: Global pork and processed meats leader with significant shelf-stable and foodservice protein offerings — comparable on processed meat formats and B2B food ingredient supply.
- Cargill: Global food ingredient and agricultural conglomerate with extensive meat processing and ingredient supply capabilities — overlaps with Sampco's industrial ingredient and beef extract offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
South American Meat Products Company social profiles
Digital presenceSouth American Meat Products Company compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
South American Meat Products Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South American Meat Products Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
South American Meat Products Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South American Meat Products Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South American Meat Products Company
What does South American Meat Products Company do?
Sampco manufactures and globally trades shelf-stable and frozen cooked meat and protein products across retail, foodservice, and industrial channels. Its portfolio spans canned meats, flexible pouches, IQF frozen cooked beef, beef extract, and flavorings under heritage brands including Hereford, Swift, Exeter, and SAMPCO. The company also offers custom product development, label/carton design, and HACCP quality assurance services to food manufacturers and operators.
Is South American Meat Products Company a public or private company?
South American Meat Products Company is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was South American Meat Products Company founded?
South American Meat Products Company was founded in 1963. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is South American Meat Products Company based?
South American Meat Products Company is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does South American Meat Products Company make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Food Product Manufacturing and Trading is the primary driver. The others are custom Product Development Services.
Who are South American Meat Products Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hormel Foods, Conagra Brands, Bumble Bee Foods and Keystone Foods. Broad incumbents are JBS USA, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and Cargill.
Does South American Meat Products Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for South American Meat Products Company.
What industry is South American Meat Products Company in?
South American Meat Products Company's product category is Processed Meat Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKACAD, Canned Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing, with a secondary code of AFANAEAJ, Shelf-Stable Processed Meats (Canned, Retort Pouches, Jerky/Meat Snacks). Its NAICS code is 3116 and its SIC code is 2013.