Egg King becomes Brazil’s newest billionaire on Forbes list

Granja Faria produces commercial and free-range eggs, fertile eggs, day-old chicks, and specialised incubation services, and also exports to 17 countries. Photos: Granja Faria

Ricardo Castellar de Faria, a 49-year-old entrepreneur and owner of Granja Faria, has become the latest Brazilian to join the prestigious Forbes list of billionaires.

Dubbed the ‘Egg King’, Faria now holds the 21st position on the Forbes Brazil ranking, with an estimated net worth of U$3.11 billion.

Faria, an agronomist by training, was born in Rio de Janeiro but built his fortune in Santa Catarina, where his family relocated during his childhood. His entrepreneurial journey began when he was 7 years old with a small ice cream cart business, financed by his father.

Ricardo Castellar de Faria, now 49 with a billion-dollar business, began his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 7 when he started selling ice cream.

Granja Faria egg producer

After that, he founded Granja Faria, now the largest commercial egg producer in Brazil and one of the biggest in Latin America, headquartered in Lauro Müller, Santa Catarina.

Granja Faria was established in 2006 in Nova Mutum, Mato Grosso, and has since grown into a powerhouse in the poultry industry. The company produces 16 million eggs daily and employs 2,700 people across 34 production units. Granja Faria is also a leader in free-range chicken farming, maintaining a flock of approximately 2 million birds.

Under Faria's leadership, Granja Faria has expanded its reach throughout Brazil, with operations in states including Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. — Under Faria’s leadership, Granja Faria has expanded its reach throughout Brazil, with operations in states including Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo.

The company produces commercial and free-range eggs, fertile eggs, day-old chicks, and specialised incubation services, and also exports to 17 countries.

In addition to his role at Granja Faria, Faria is the president of the Associação Catarinense de Avicultura (ACAV).

Grain, fertiliser and agri management businesses

His ventures have since expanded beyond poultry – 4 years ago, he founded Terrus, a grain company, and later acquired Fertifar, a fertilizer business, and Insolo, a company specialising in agricultural management for rural properties. All of these enterprises are grouped under the holding RCF Capital.

Granja Faria has also made headlines for its corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as donating 1 million eggs to flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul in May.