Ricardo Faria enters Brazil's top 10 wealthiest list

Ricardo Castellar de Faria has entered the top 10 wealthiest individuals in Brazil, according to the 2026 Forbes ranking. An agronomist by training, Faria has built a massive agribusiness empire, earning the nickname ‘Rei do Ovo’ (Egg King).

His wealth is driven largely by Granja Faria, which has become Brazil’s largest producer of commercial eggs, fertile eggs, and chicks. The company produces approximately 16 million eggs daily across 34 units and exports to 17 countries, including Germany, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia.

Faria’s expansion strategy relies heavily on acquisitions. Through his holding company, Global Eggs, based in Luxembourg, he has achieved significant international scale. This includes the acquisition of the Spanish group Hevo and the 2025 purchase of Hillandale Farms, one of the five largest producers in the United States. In March, the American firm Warburg Pincus invested $1 billion in Global Eggs, valuing the company at $8 billion.

Beyond egg production, Faria’s business interests include Insolo (grain production), Fertifar (fertilizers), and RCF Capital. His entrepreneurial journey began with Lavebras, a textile cleaning company founded in 1997 and later sold to the French firm Elis in 2017.