Tyson CEO Noel White, who was tapped for the top spot in September 2018, made good on his promise to expand into international markets in 2019. The Arkansas-based meat giant acquired the Thai and European operations of Brazilian food processor BRF S.A., giving it a scalable footprint in Asia and across Europe via an array of regional brands, like Grabits, Hot ‘N’ Kickin’ Chicken, Speedy Pollo, and Sadia. The company also launched its Raised & Rooted brand to introduce “value-added protein” options, often in highly specialized forms like plant-based nuggets or blended burgers. The company ended 2019 with $42.4 billion in revenue, a 5.8% increase from 2018. April 2020 presented a brand new challenge, as the company shut down plants temporarily as hundreds of workers tested positive for COVID-19.