RICA FOODS INC
10-Q, 1999-02-19
POULTRY SLAUGHTERING AND PROCESSING
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<PAGE>


                          SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

(X) Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
      Act of 1934

    For the quarterly period ended Decenber 31, 1998

                                          or

( ) Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934

    For the transition period from ____________ to ____________



                           Commission File No. 0-18222



                                RICA FOODS, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


             Nevada                                           87-0432572
             ------                                           ----------
  (State or other jurisdiction                             (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization                          Identification No.)


95 Merrick Way, Suite 507, Coral Gables, FL                      33134
- ---------------------------------------------                    -----
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)


                        (305) 476-1757 or (305) 476-1758
               (Registrant's telephone number including area code)


Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) had filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports)  and  (2)  has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                                   Yes /X/  No / /

The number of shares  outstanding of the  Registrant's  common stock,  as of the
latest practicable date, February 19, 1999, was 7,418,818.


<PAGE>


                        RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                      INDEX



PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. Financial Statements
         Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 1998 
          (Unaudited) and September 30, 1998 ...............................  2
         Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended 
           December 31, 1998 and 1997 (Unaudited) ..........................  3
         Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended
         December 31, 1998 and 1997 (Unaudited).............................  4
         Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited).............  6
ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
         and Results of Operations ......................................... 11
ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk ......... 20


                           PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. Legal Proceedings .................................................. 22
ITEM 2. Changes in Securities and use of Proceeds .......................... 22
ITEM 4. Submission of matters to a vote of Security Holders ................ 23
ITEM 5. Other Information .................................................. 23
ITEM 6. Exhibits and Reports ............................................... 23


<PAGE>

                        RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                           Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                    December 31,   September 30,
                                                    ------------   ------------
                                                        1998           1998
                                                        ----           ----
                                                    (Unaudited)
                      Assets
                      ------
Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents ..................   $  6,010,631    $  3,290,757
    Short-term investments .....................         40,184         101,892
    Notes and accounts receivable, net .........     10,448,527       8,290,021
    Due from related parties ...................        741,469         656,904
    Inventories, net ...........................     12,240,035      12,862,456
    Prepaid expenses ...........................        558,946         648,918
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total current assets .....................     30,039,792      25,850,948
                                                     ----------      ----------

Property, plant and equipment, net .............     27,901,696      28,494,233
Long-term notes receivable-trade ...............        250,978         119,229
Long-term investment ...........................      4,587,995       4,720,335
Other assets ...................................      1,747,005       2,039,443
Cost in excess of acquired business, net .......      1,601,501       1,781,147
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total assets .............................   $ 66,128,967    $ 63,005,335
                                                   ============    ============

         Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
         ------------------------------------
Current liabilities:
    Accounts payable ...........................   $  9,303,248    $  7,510,750
    Accrued expenses ...........................      3,308,518       3,035,951
    Notes payable ..............................      7,925,813       8,463,052
    Current installments of long-term debt .....      1,772,578       1,940,073
    Due to stockholders ........................         77,939          75,671
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total current liabilities ................     22,388,096      21,025,497
                                                     ----------      ----------

Long-term debt, net of current portion .........     21,578,281      22,559,425
Due to stockholders ............................         18,009          18,526
Deferred income tax liability ..................      1,921,989       1,974,407
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total liabilities ........................     45,906,375      45,577,855
                                                     ----------      ----------

Minority interest ..............................      7,512,959       6,078,595

Stockholders' equity:
      Common stock .............................          7,419           7,419
      Preferred stock ..........................      4,323,025       4,323,025
      Additional paid-in capital ...............     11,987,393      11,987,393
      Cumulative translation adjustment ........     (5,860,411)     (5,630,035)
      Retained earnings ........................      4,971,760       3,370,982
                                                     ----------      ----------
                                                     15,429,186      14,058,784
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Less:
      Due from stockholders ....................       (180,067)       (170,413)
      Treasury stock, at cost ..................     (2,539,486)     (2,539,486)
                                                     ----------      ----------
Total Stockholders' equity .....................     12,709,633      11,348,885
                                                     ----------      ----------

Total liabilities and
      Stockholders' equity .....................   $ 66,128,967    $ 63,005,335
                                                   ============    ============

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part
of these statements.


                                      -2-
<PAGE>


                        RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                        Consolidated Statements of Income
              For the three months ended December 31, 1998 and 1997
                                    Unaudited
                                    ---------

                                                      1998              1997
                                                      ====              ====

Sales, net .................................      $31,651,795       $20,826,028
Cost of sales ..............................       20,006,822        15,610,098
                                                  -----------       -----------
     Gross profit ..........................       11,644,973         5,215,930
                                                  -----------       -----------

Operating expenses:
     Selling ...............................        4,246,218         1,859,410
     General and administrative ............        2,608,442         1,468,710
     Amortization of cost in excess of
       net assets of acquired business .....           90,482                --
                                                  -----------       -----------
     Total operating expenses ..............        6,945,142         3,328,120

    Income from operations .................        4,699,831         1,887,810

Other expenses (income):
    Interest expense .......................        1,080,919           631,960
    Interest income ........................         (181,370)         (127,517)
    Exchange losses (gains), net ...........          534,525            48,763
    Miscellaneous, net .....................         (319,336)          (69,164)
                                                  -----------       -----------
      Other expenses, net ..................        1,114,738           484,042
                                                  -----------       -----------
Income before income taxes and
    minority interest ......................        3,585,093         1,403,768
Income taxes ...............................          338,288           248,196
                                                  -----------       -----------
Income before minority interest ............        3,246,805         1,155,572
Minority interest ..........................        1,612,220           495,847
                                                  -----------       -----------
Net income .................................        1,634,585           659,725
Preferred stock dividend ...................          133,058            38,900
Net income applicable to common stock.......      $ 1,501,527       $   620,825
                                                  ===========       ===========
Earnings per share:

     Basic .................................      $      0.20       $      0.09
                                                  ===========       ===========
     Diluted ...............................      $      0.20       $      0.09
                                                  ===========       ===========
Weighted average number of
  common shares outstanding:

     Basic .................................        7,418,818         6,603,132
                                                  ===========       ===========
                                                  
     Diluted ...............................        7,489,824         6,626,286
                                                  ===========       ===========

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part
of these statements.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>


                        RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
              For the three months ended December 31, 1998 and 1997
                                    Unaudited
                                    ---------

                                                       1998              1997
                                                       ====              ====
Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income ...................................   $ 1,634,585        $  659,725
                                                 -----------        ----------
 Adjustments to reconcile net income to
  net cash provided by (used for) operating
  activities:
 Depreciation and amortization ...............       775,154           370,648
 Renewal for production poultry ..............       516,160           237,531
 Amortization of cost in excess of net
  assets of acquired business ................        90,482                --
 Increase in provision for vacation
  accrual ....................................        52,505                --
 Allowance for inventory obsolescence ........         7,467                --
 Amortization of software development
  costs ......................................        22,296            24,726
 Provision for doubtful receivables ..........       158,354            55,066
 Gain on sale of productive assets............       (83,342)          (22,490)
 Deferred income tax benefit .................       (52,418)               --
 Minority interest ...........................     1,612,220           495,847

  Changes in operating assets and
   liabilities:
   Notes and accounts receivable .............     (1,540,528)      (1,308,816)
   Due from related party ....................       (130,452)         (92,399)
   Inventories ...............................        124,028         (604,423)
   Prepaid expenses ..........................       (218,723)         (38,409)
   Accounts payable ..........................      1,759,871         (267,230)
   Accrued expenses ..........................        295,801         (510,670)
   Long-term notes receivable-trade ..........       (134,805)          24,367
                                                    ---------        ---------
   Cash provided by (used for)
    operating activities .....................      4,888,655         (976,527)
                                                    ---------        --------- 

Cash flows from investing activities:
   Short-term investments ....................         61,709         (530,113)
   Additions to property, plant
    and equipment ............................       (803,176)        (654,547)
   Proceeds from sale of productive assets ...        119,854           77,127
     Increase (decrease) in other assets .....        216,611         (200,089)
                                                   -----------      -----------
     Cash used for investing activities ......       (405,002)      (1,307,622)
                                                   -----------      ----------- 


                                                          continued on next page

                                      -4-
<PAGE>


Cash flows from financing activities:
  Increase (decrease) in notes payable .......       (542,458)       2,137,632
  Preferred stock cash dividends .............       (133,058)         (38,900)
  Long-term financing:
   New loans .................................       (137,859)         487,223
   Payments ..................................     (1,212,803)        (287,456)
   Due to shareholders .......................        (43,196)            (151)
   Due from related party ....................             --         (175,094)
   Cash provided by (used for)                     -----------       ---------
    financing activities .....................     (2,069,374)       2,123,254
                                                   -----------       ---------

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and
 cash equivalents ............................        305,594           (7,437)

  Increase (decrease) in cash and cash
    equivalents ..............................      2,719,873         (168,331)
  Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
    period ...................................      3,290,758        1,388,290
                                                  -----------      ----------- 
  Cash and cash equivalents at end of
    period ...................................    $ 6,010,631      $ 1,219,959
                                                  ===========      ===========

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow
 information:
  Cash paid for the period for:

    Interest .................................    $   275,836      $   214,637
                                                  ===========      ===========

    Income taxes .............................    $   182,109      $    25,369
                                                  ===========      ===========  

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part
of these statements.



                                      -5-
<PAGE>


                       RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           December 31, 1998 and 1997


NOTE 1 - GENERAL

     Management is responsible for preparing Rica Foods,  Inc. and  subsidiaries
(collectively the "Company")  financial  statements and related information that
appear  in this  Form  10-Q  report.  Management  believes  that  the  financial
statements  reflect fairly the form and substance of transactions and reasonably
present  the  Company's   financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  in
conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles in the United States.
The accompanying  interim financial  statements have been prepared in accordance
with the  instructions  to Form 10-Q and,  therefore,  omit or condense  certain
footnotes and other information  normally  included in the financial  statements
prepared in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles.  The
accounting  policies  followed for interim  financial  reporting are the same as
those  disclosed  in Note 1 of the Notes to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements
included in the Company's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 which are included in Form 10-K.  Management  has included in
the  Company's  financial  statements  amounts that are based on  estimates  and
judgments,  which it believes are  reasonable  under the  circumstances.  In the
opinion of Management,  all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the
financial  information for the interim periods reported have been made.  Results
of the three months ended  December 31, 1998 are not  necessarily  indicative of
the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year ending September.30, 1999.
The Company maintains a system of internal accounting  policies,  procedures and
controls  intended to provide  reasonable  assurance,  at appropriate cost, that
transactions  are  executed in  accordance  with Company  authorization  and are
properly recorded and reported in the financial statements,  and that assets are
adequately safeguarded.

     Although  Management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the
information  presented not misleading,  these unaudited  consolidated  financial
statements  should  be read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial
statements and notes thereto included in the Company's annual report on Form 10K
for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998.

NOTE 2 - RECLASSIFICATIONS

     Certain prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the 1997
presentation.

NOTE 3 - INVENTORIES AND RENEWAL OF PRODUCTION POULTRY

     Inventories  are stated at the lower of cost or market.  Cost is determined
using the weighted-average  method, except for inventories in transit, which are
valued at specific cost.  Costs  pertaining to the growth period of reproductive
hens  are  capitalized  and  are   subsequently   amortized  over  the  expected
reproductive  life of the hen  ("renewal  of  production  poultry").  Renewal of
production  poultry is determined  based on the estimated  poultry  reproductive
period.



                                      -6-
<PAGE>

                       RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           December 31, 1998 and 1997



Inventories, net consist of the following:


                                           December 31,        September 30, 
                                               1998                1998
                                             --------             ------  

Finished products .....................  $  2,398,435         $  3,038,319
Poultry ...............................     2,829,692            2,713,040
Production poultry ....................     3,003,041            3,141,980
Materials and supplies ................     1,867,030            1,710,071
Raw materials .........................     1,925,260            2,849,126
In transit ............................     1,205,229              204,681
                                            ---------            ---------
                                           13,228,687           13,657,217
                                           ==========           ==========
Renewal of production poultry                (954,046)            (766,736)
Allowance for obsolescence                    (34,606)             (28,025)
                                           ----------           ---------- 
Inventories, net ......... ...........   $ 12,240,035         $ 12,862,456
                                           ==========           ========== 


NOTE 4 - COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Total comprehensive income consists of the following:

                                                    Three months ended
                                                    ------------------
                                                       December 31,
                                                       ------------
                                              1998                  1997
                                              ----                  ----

Net income                                $ 1,501,527             $ 620,825
Foreign currency translation
 adjustment                                  (230,375)             (253,755)
                                            ---------              --------
 Total comprehensive income               $ 1,271,152             $ 367,070
                                            =========              ========




NOTE  5 - EARNINGS PER SHARE

     Earnings per share is computed on the basis of the weighted  average number
of common shares  outstanding plus the effect of outstanding  warrants and stock
options using the treasury stock method  according to SFAS No. 128 "Earnings per
Share".  Earnings per share  pertaining  to the three months ended  December 31,
1997 have been  restated to comply with this standard and to reflect the reverse
stock split effective on December 29, 1998.

     Following  is a  reconciliation  of the weighted  average  number of shares
currently  outstanding  with the number of shares  used in the  computations  of
fully diluted earnings per share.


                                      -7-
<PAGE>

                       RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           December 31, 1998 and 1997


                                                           December 31,
                                                           ------------
                                                        1998          1997
                                                        ----          ----
Numerator:

    Income from continuing operations                $1,501,527    $  620,825
                                                     ==========    ==========

Denominator:
    Denominator for basic income
      per share                                       7,418,818     6,603,132
    Effect of dilutive securities:
      Options to purchase common stock                   71,006        23,154
                                                     ----------    ----------
    Denominator for diluted 
     earnings per share                               7,489,824     6,626,286
                                                    ===========    ===========

Earnings per share from
  continuing operations:

    Basic                                                $ 0.20        $ 0.09
                                                    ===========    ==========
    Diluted                                              $ 0.20        $ 0.09
                                                    ===========    ========== 

     The Company did not have any  anti-dilutive  securities  outstanding  as of
December 31, 1998 and 1997.

     The  minority  interest  in the income of  subsidiaries  and  dividends  on
preferred stock have been excluded from income available to common stockholders.

NOTE 6 - PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Following  is  pro  forma  financial   information  which  presents  results  of
operations for the three months ended December 31, 1997 as if the acquisition of
56.38% of As de Oros,  consumatted  on  February  26,  1998,  had taken place on
October 1, 1996:


                                      -8-
<PAGE>

                       RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           December 31, 1998 and 1997



Revenues                                                           $33,327,697
Net income                                                             606,824

Basic earnings per share:
  Weighted average number of shares
      outstanding                                                    7,418,818
                                                                   ===========
Earnings per share                                                       $0.08
                                                                         =====

Diluted earnings per share
  Incremental shares from assumed
      conversion of warrants                                            23,154
                                                                    ----------
  Adjusted weighted average shares                                   7,441,972
                                                                    ==========
Diluted earnings per share:                                              $0.08
                                                                         =====


Diluted and basic  weighted  average  oustanding  shares and  earnings per share
amounts,  have been  restated to reflect the reverse  stock split  effective  on
December 29, 1998.

NOTE 7 -  CHANGE IN METHOD OF ACCOUNTING

For fiscal year 1998, the Company changed its method of accounting for sales and
purchases from Integrated Producers.  Integrated Producers are local farmers who
raise and feed  poultry  on behalf of the  Company.  The new  method  adopted on
October 1, 1998 reflects  chickens and its materials  transferred  to Integrated
Producers  as  inventory.  The method used until  September  30, 1998  reflected
transfers of chicken and its materials to the  international  producers as sales
at cost.  The effect of the change in  acccounting  method for the quarter ended
December  31, 1998,  was a decrease of sales and cost of sales of  approximately
$2,500,000. The statement of income for the three months ended December 31, 1997
has not been  restated  to reflect  the new method of  accounting.  There was no
material  effect in the net income for the quarter ended December 31, 1998.

NOTE 8 - LITIGATION

Pipasa is a defendant in a lawsuit  brought in Costa Rica in which it was served
with prejudgment liens.  Pipasa substituted  collateral for these liens with the
approval of the court,  which approval is currently being  appealed.  Pipasa has
not yet been  served  with the  Complaint  in the  case  and  therefore,  cannot
ascertain  the basis of the claim or the  relief  sought,  but it  believes  the
lawsuit  is without  merit and  intends  to assert a  vigorous  defense.  At the
present time,  neither the Company nor Pipasa can evaluate the potential  impact
of this lawsuit on the financial results of the Company.

No legal  proceedings of a material  nature to which the Company is a party were
pending during the first quarter of fiscal year 1999, nor as of the date of this
filing,  and the  Company  knows of no legal



                                      -9-
<PAGE>


                       RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           December 31, 1998 and 1997

proceedings  of a material  nature  pending or threatened  or judgments  entered
against any director nor officer of the Company in his capacity as such.

The Company is involved in various other claims and legal actions arising in the
ordinary  course  of  business.  In the  opinion  of  Management,  the  ultimate
disposition  of these  matters  will not have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.



                                      -10-
<PAGE>


ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S  DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
        OF OPERATIONS

COMPANY OVERVIEW.

The Company's  operations are largely conducted through Corporacion Pipasa, S.A.
("Pipasa") and  Corporacion As de Oros,  S.A. and  Subsidiaries  ("As de Oros").
Pipasa,  founded  in 1969,  is the  largest  poultry  company in Costa Rica with
approximately  a 50% market share of the chicken meat market in Costa Rica.  The
main activities of Pipasa are the production and sale of broiler chickens (whole
chickens),  poultry  meat,  processed  chicken  products,  commercial  eggs  and
premixed feed and  concentrate  for livestock and domestic  animals.  Pipasa has
been in the poultry  business  for more than 29 years with more than 13 years of
experience in exports.  Pipasa owns 41 urban and rural outlets  throughout Costa
Rica. Today, Pipasa enjoys a vertically-integrated  operation, which begins with
the fertilized egg and ends with the preparation and distribution of fresh whole
chickens, fast-frozen and cooked chicken patties, and sausages.

As de Oros,  founded in 1954, is Costa Rica's second largest  poultry  producer,
comprising  approximately  20% of  the  country's  poultry  market.  As de  Oros
operates 13 urban and 4 rural outlets  throughout Costa Rica. In addition to the
production and marketing of poultry and poultry  by-products,  As de Oros is one
of the leaders in the Costa Rican animal feed market with a 21% market share. As
de Oros also owns a chain of 36 fried chicken  restaurants  in Costa Rica called
"Restaurantes As de Oros."

The Company's operating subsidiaries, are the largest poultry companies in Costa
Rica with  approximately  70% market share of the chicken meat market.  The main
activities of Rica Foods,  Inc.  subsidiaries  are the  production  and sales of
broiler chickens, poultry meat, processed chicken products, commercial eggs, and
premixed feed and concentrate for livestock and domestic animals.

The Company's subsidiaries own 58 urban and rural outlets throughout Costa Rica,
two modern processing plants and an animal feed plant. The combined operation of
the  subsidiaries  permitted  Rica  Foods,  Inc. to obtain  advantages  of their
similar  operations and achieve certain benefits such as plant  efficiencies and
specialization.

Although  Management  believes  that the  disclosures  are  adequate to make the
information  presented not misleading,  these consolidated  condensed  financial
statements  should  be read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial
statements and notes thereto  included in the Company's  latest Form 10K for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1998.

YEAR 2000 READINESS

The Year 2000 issue is the result of computer programs and other business system
being written  using two digits rather than four to represent the year.  Many of
the time  sensitive  applications  and  business  systems of the Company and its
business  partners may  recognize a date using "00" as the year 1900 rather than
the year 2000, which could result in system failure or disruption of operations.
Although  the Year  2000  problem  will  impact  the  Company  and its  business
partners,  a  preliminary  assessment of the Year 2000 exposure has been made by
the Company and,  primarily  because the Company's major management  information
systems  were  developed  with a Year 2000  certified  application,  the Company
believes it will be able to achieve Year 2000 readiness for its internal systems
by mid-fiscal 1999. The Company has also developed a plan of communication  with
significant  business  partners  to  obtain  appropriate   assurances  that  the
Company's  operations are not


                                      -11-
<PAGE>


disrupted through these relationships and that the Year 2000 issues are resolved
in a timely manner. The Company believes that it will satisfactorily resolve all
significant  Year 2000 problems and that the related costs will not be material.
However, estimates of Year 2000 related costs are based on numerous assumptions,
including  the  continued  availability  of certain  resources,  the  ability to
acquire accurate information regarding third party suppliers, and the ability to
correct all relevant  applications and third party modification  plans. There is
no guarantee  that the estimates  will be achieved and actual costs could differ
materially  from those  anticipated.  Moreover,  the failure of a major vendor's
systems to operate  properly  with  respect to the Year 2000 problem on a timely
basis or a Year 2000 conversion that is incompatible  with the Company's systems
could  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,  financial
condition and results of operations.

YEAR 2000 ISSUE

Information Systems and Technology

Based on the analysis of the  Company's  subsidiaries,  the  following  critical
applications  in As de Oros' systems  areas are the focus of the Company's  Year
2000 compliance efforts:  operational budget,  statistics,  accounts receivable,
animal feed billing,  sales,  orders,  and  dispatch.  The Company has undergone
significant  strategic  upgrades in its application  systems in order to improve
business processes.  Merchandising,  production planning,  and Financial systems
were selected for improved  business  functionality  and are vendor certified as
Year 2000 compliant. The Human Resources and Financials systems were implemented
during  1996.  All critical  applications  will be tested to ensure the asserted
compliance.  Additionally,  the hardware and  communications  infrastructure has
been inventoried,  assessed,  and, where necessary,  is currently being upgraded
and  tested.  The  remediation  phase is  expected  to be  complete by mid 1999.
Testing is being performed  concurrently  with remediation  activities and final
testing is expected to be substantially complete in the same timeframe.

The  Company's  operations  are  dependent  on the Year 2000  readiness of third
parties. The Company relies on third-party suppliers for infrastructure elements
such as telephone services,  electric power,  water, and banking facilities,  as
well as merchandise suppliers.

The  vendor  relations  area of the  project  refers  to the  Year  2000  status
evaluation  of key  merchandise  and service  vendors.  As part of the Year 2000
initiative,  merchandise  and service  vendors  have been  surveyed to determine
their readiness and the Company is in the process of obtaining or negotiating to
obtain  appropriate  assurances  from these  vendors.  In addition,  because the
Company has a select group of merchandise vendors, the Company will conduct more
in depth  assessments  of certain of these mission  critical  vendors to further
assess  such  vendor's  progress.  Where  necessary,  contingency  plans will be
developed  to be used in the  event  of  supplier  delivery  delay  or  failure.
Although  the Company  has not been put on notice  that any known third  party's
problem  will not be  resolved,  the  Company  has  limited  information  and no
assurance of additional  information concerning the Year 2000 readiness of third
parties.  The resulting  risks of the Company's  business are very  difficult to
assess;  however,  the  inability  to  obtain  merchandise  from one or more key
vendors on a timely basis could have  material  adverse  effect on the Company's
results of operations.


                                      -12-
<PAGE>


The Company is developing  contingency  plans and identifying what actions would
be required if a critical system, service provider, or merchandise were not Year
2000 compliant. The company expects these plans to be finalized by mid 1999.

To date,  the  Company  expects to spend  approximately  $500,000 to $750,000 to
complete the project which amounts will be funded  through  operating cash flows
or external financing.  Operating costs related to Year 2000 compliance projects
will be incurred over several  quarters and will be expensed as incurred.  Costs
associated with business system  solutions for improved  business  processes are
not included in these amounts since they will not have a material adverse effect
on the  Company's  financial  condition or operating  results.  The costs of the
project and the date on which the Company  plans to complete  the work are based
on  Management's  best estimates,  which were derived from numerous  assumptions
about future events,  including the  availability  of certain  resources,  third
party  compliance  information,  and  other  factors.  However,  there can be no
guarantee that these  estimates will be achieved and actual results could differ
materially  from  those  plans.  Specific  factors  that  might  cause  material
differences  include,  but are not  limited  to,  the  availability  and cost of
trained   personnel,   the  ability  to  identify   and  correct  all   relevant
technologies,  and the ability to acquire accurate  information  regarding third
party suppliers.  Additionally,  Year 2000  expenditures  vary  significantly in
project  phases and vary  depending on the  remediation  method  used,  and past
expenditures  in relation to total  estimated  costs should not be considered or
relied on as a basis for  estimating  progress to completion  for any element of
the Year 2000 project.

The Company presently  believes,  that upon remediation of its business software
applications,  hardware, and other equipment with embedded technology,  the Year
2000 issue will not present a materially  adverse risk to the  Company's  future
consolidated results of operations,  liquidity, and capital resources.  However,
if such  remediation  is not completed in a timely manner or the level of timely
compliance  by key suppliers or vendors is not  sufficient,  the Year 2000 issue
could have a material  impact on the  Company's  operations  including,  but not
limited to, failure to or delays in delivery of merchandise resulting in loss of
the Company's business.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE:

The  Company  is not  subject  to any  material  costs for  compliance  with any
environmental  laws in any  jurisdiction in which it operates.  However,  in the
future,  it could become subject to material costs to comply with  environmental
laws in jurisdictions in which it does not now do business. At the present time,
the  Company   cannot  assess  the  potential   impact  of  any  such  potential
environmental regulation.  The Company has implemented sustainable environmental
policies  over the past  several  years such as  reforesting  approximately  500
hectares with hardwood  trees,  processing  and recycling its wastes,  producing
organic fertilizer, and building oxidation lagoons and sewage treatment plants.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION:

The poultry  hatcheries  and processing  plants are subject to regulation  under
Costa Rican law regarding  cleanliness and health  standards.  Exports of Pipasa
poultry  products are  regulated  in the  countries in which Pipasa makes sales.
Such regulation is not considered to be a burden on Pipasa or to have a material
effect on Pipasa's ability to make a profit. Otherwise, Pipasa is not subject to
any material governmental regulation or approvals.


                                      -13-
<PAGE>


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table presents information related to the Company's operation:

                                                      QUARTER ENDED       
                                                      -------------
                                           Dec 31, 1997          Dec 31, 1998
                                           ------------          ------------
       
Net Sales                                   $20,826,028          $31,651,795
Income from operations                        1,887,810            4,699,831

The following table presents  certain items as a percentage of net sales for the
period indicated:


                                                      QUARTER ENDED
                                                      -------------
                                           Dec 31, 1997         Dec 31, 1998
                                           ------------         ------------
Net sales                                     100.00%             100.00%
Cost of sales                                  74.95%              63.21%
Gross profit                                   25.05%              36.79%
Sales expenses                                  8.93%              13.42%
General and administrative                      7.05%               8.24%
Goodwill amortization                           0.00%               0.29%
Income from operations                          9.06%              14.85%
Interest expense                                3.03%               3.42%
Income before income taxes and
  minority interest                             6.74%              11.33%
Net income                                      3.17%               5.16%
Net income applicable to
  common stock                                  2.98%               4.74%
Basic earnings per share                      $ 0.20             $  0.09

Prior to the acquisition of As de Oros,  there were  transactions  between As de
Oros and Pipasa,  consisting of sales of raw materials,  and finished  products.
These transactions have been eliminated for consolidation purposes.

NET SALES:

General.  Net sales generated by the Company's operations for the quarters ended
December 31, 1997 and 1998 were $20.82 million and $31.65 million  respectively,
an increase of $10.83 million or 52%. The following table shows sales amounts by
segment for each quarter:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



                                           RICA FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


                     Three months ended December 31,
                               (thousands)                                       Increase                 Increase
                                  1998                           1997           (decrease)               (decrease)
                 ----------------------------------------  ---------------
                 ---------------------------------------------------------
 Segment             Pipasa      As de Oros  Consolidated     Consolidated       Consolidated                Pipasa   
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                 <C>           <C>          <C>              <C>                <C>                      <C>   
 Animal feed         $ 2.39          3.49         5.88             1.66             253.35%                   43.53%
 By-products           2.13          0.44         2.57             2.60              -0.92%                  -17.92%
 Exports               1.19          0.00         1.19             0.54             121.90%                  121.58%
 Other                 0.12          0.12         0.24             2.82             -91.64%                  -95.80%
 Broiler              14.73          4.19        18.93            13.21              43.28%                   11.54%
 Restaurants              -          2.85         2.85                -
                 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 TOTAL               $20.56        $11.09       $31.65           $20.83              51.99%                   -1.27%
                 ====================================================================================================

</TABLE>


                                      -14-
<PAGE>


Animal  Feed:  Sales for  commercial  animal  feed were $5.88  million and $1.66
million for the quarters  ended  December 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively.  This
represents an increase of 253.35%.  This sales increase is mainly explained by a
180% increase in tonnage,  combined with a 73% effect of sales mix.  Animal feed
sales is As de Oros' core business, and these subsidiary's contribution to sales
increase in this segment has been significant. Additionally, the Company's sales
of pet food has increased due to a more aggressive sales strategy.

By-products:  Total  sales  for this  segment  were of $2.60  million  and $2.57
million for the three months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, respectively. The
0.92% decrease is mainly due to a 25.15% volume increase offset by exchange rate
variation and price maintenance, due to certain market characteristics,  such as
competition,  promotions  that are necessary to acquire  presence with important
clients such as supermarket  chains.  In general,  there has been a strong price
pressure and a redistribution of sales mix toward lower price products.

Exports:  The Company's  exports were $0.54 million and $1.19 million during the
quarters ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 respectively,  an increase of 121.90%.
This  increase  in  exports  was due to the  combined  result  of: A 58%  volume
increase in chicken by - products  exports,  110%  increase  in broiler  chicken
exports,  that is  explained  by an slight  increase in sales to Honduras and an
extraordinary  export  that was made to Hong Kong in the months of  October  and
November  1998  and a 228%  increase  of pet food  exports  in the  animal  feed
segment.  Pet food was introduced in the Central  American  market at the end of
fiscal year 1997,  and still  presents  important  increase  rates due to strong
introduction policies.

Others: Sales of Others, which include animal feed and baby chicks to integrated
producers, commercial eggs, raw materials and baby chicks to third parties, were
$2.82 million and $0.24 million  during the three months ended December 31, 1997
and 1998 respectively,  a 91.64% decrease.  This decrease is mainly explained by
the variation in the way the  transactions  with integrated  producers are being
registered (or were registered).  At present,  transactions are registered as an
inventory  transfer,  opposite  to a  regular  sale.  Additionally,  there is an
important  reduction in Sales of Others,  due to the elimination of intercompany
sales.  Prior to the acquisition of As de Oros, there were transactions  between
Pipasa,  and As de Oros,  consisting  of sales of raw  materials,  and  finished
products.  These transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial
statements.

Broiler Chicken: Sales of broiler chicken were $13.21 million and $14.73 million
for the three months ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 respectively. The increase
of 43.28% primarily is due to a 34.63% increase in tonnage combined with the net
effect of price increase and sales mix.

Restaurants:  The restaurant segment had sales of $2.85 million during the three
months ended  December 31, 1998.  Comparison  with same period of fiscal year of
1997 is not  possible,  due to the fact that the Company  did not  operate  this
segment before the acquisition of As de Oros. Due to the holiday season in Costa
Rica, the quarters ended December 31, correspond to this segment's highest sales
season of each year.


                                      -15-
<PAGE>


The following  table shows the Company's  sales  distribution,  for the quarters
ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 respectively:

                        RICA FOODS, INC. and Subsidiaries
                               Sales Distribution
                           For the three months ended

                                                    December 31,
                                                    ------------
                                           1998                   1997
                                           ----                   ----
   Animal feed                            18.57%                  8.00%
   By products                             8.12%                 12.46%
   Exports                                 3.76%                  2.58%
   Others                                  0.74%                 13.53%
   Broiler chicken                        59.79%                 63.43%
   Restaurants                             9.00%                  0.00%
   --------------------------------------------------------------------
   TOTAL                                 100.00%                100.00%
   --------------------------------------------------------------------

COST OF SALES:

General.  Cost of sales was $15.61  million and $20.00  million for the quarters
ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 respectively,  a 28.17% increase. This increase
in cost of  sales  was due  primarily  to  volume  increase  resulting  from the
acquisition  of the new  subsidiary  offset by the  effect of lower  cost of raw
materials, such as imported grains and the advantage of higher efficiency due to
increase in volume.  As a percentage  of sales,  cost of sales was 74.9% for the
three  months ended  December  31, 1997  compared to 63.2% in the same period of
1998, for a net decrease of 11.7%.

This important  reduction in cost of sales as a percentage on net sales,  is the
combined  result of a series of factors  that  improved  the  Company's  results
during the quarter ended December 30, 1998. Among these factors, are:

     o    Average prices for imported grains  decreased during the first quarter
          of fiscal 1998 when compared  to average  prices in the same period of
          fiscal 1997.  Corn and soybean meal represent a high percentage of the
          regular animal feed diet formulation.

     o    Higher  volume,  with the  consequent  advantage  of  higher  capacity
          utilization.

     o    The Company obtained the expected  technical yields in comparison with
          the results  obtained  during the same period of fiscal year 1998. The
          harsh effects of results of the El Nino Weather  Phenomenon during the
          last year have been recuperated. This weather phenomenon affected cost
          of  sales in  several  ways:  high  temperatures  decreased  technical
          yields,  witch caused low  reproduction  and  incubation  rates,  high
          moralities  and  low  weight  gains.  The  combination  of  these  low
          technical  yields  obligated  the Company to import  fertile  eggs and
          chicken parts to cover the demand, at a high cost.

     o    Successful use of a standard diet formulation  during the three months
          ended December 30, 1998, in comparison with the high-energy  diet that
          was used during October 1997 due to low weight gain.



                                      -16-
<PAGE>


The following  table  presents cost of sales  information  by segment,  with the
correspondent increase percentage and impact of volume (In millions of dollars):


                            COST OF SALES BY SEGMENTS
                            -------------------------
                            Quarter ended December 31,
                            --------------------------
                                                                    Due to
                                                                    volume
    SEGMENT                 1998           1997           %       variations
                            ----           ----           -       ----------
Animal feed                 4.20           1.33        215.94%      180.02%
Chicken by products         1.50           1.32         13.64%       25.15%
Exports                     0.67           0.39         70.54%       71.18%
Others                      0.25           2.67       (90.73%)          --
Broiler chicken            11.86          $9.91         19.72%       34.63%
Restaurants                 1.63              -            --           --

GROSS PROFIT:

Gross  profit for the three  months  ended  December  31, 1997 and 1998 was $5,2
million and $11.6 million respectively,  an increase of $6.4 million or 123%. As
a percentage of net sales,  gross profit was 25.05% and 36.79%, respectively for
the  first  quarters  of  fiscal  1997 and  1998,  due to the  issues  discussed
above. The  following table shows gross profit for each segment for the quarters
ended December 31, 1997 and 1998:

                               Gross Profit Margin
                               -------------------
                            Quarter ended December 31,
                            --------------------------
                            1998          1997         Variance
                            ----          ----         --------
Animal feed                28.53%        20.07%          8.45%
By products                41.58%        49.25%         -7.67%
Exports                    44.08%        27.93%         16.15%
Others                     -5.11%         5.43%        -10.54%
Broiler chicken            37.32%        24.98%         12.33%
Restaurants                46.49%            -          46.49%
TOTAL                      36.80%        25.04%         11.75%

OPERATING EXPENSES

Selling.  Selling  expenses  increased  by $2.3 million or 128% during the first
quarter of fiscal 1999,  compared with the same period of fiscal year 1998. This
increase  is due to the  consolidation  of a new  subsidiary  As de Oros and the
Restaurants  segment.  As a percentage  of net sales,  selling  expenses were of
13.42%  and  8.93%  for the  three  months  ended  December  30,  1998  and 1997
respectively.

General  and  Administrative.  General  and  Administrative  expenses  were $2.6
million  and $1.4  million for the  quarters  ended  December  31, 1998 and 1997
respectively,  an  increase of $1.1  million or 77.6%.  As a  percentage  of net
sales, this item decreased from 7.05% during the first quarter of fiscal 1998 to
8.24% during the same period of fiscal 1999.  This increase is mainly due to the
incorporation of a new subsidiary.


                                      -17-
<PAGE>


OTHER EXPENSES (INCOME)

Other income and expenses  increased by $0.63 million or 130% when comparing the
three  months  ended  December  31,  1998 and 1997.  Interest  expense was $1.08
million and $0.6 million  during the three  months  ended  December 30, 1997 and
1998  respectively.  This increase is mainly due to the  consolidation  of As de
Oros.  Exchange rate losses (or gains)  increased $0.44 million when compared to
the first quarter of fiscal year 1998,  mainly due to restructuring of long term
debt  to U.S.  dollar  currency.  Along  with  these  increases,  revenues  from
miscellaneous net increased $0.25 million or 361%.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

As of December 31, 1998,  working  capital was $7.6 million  compared to working
capital  at the  end of  fiscal  year  1998,  $4.8  million  for a $2.8  million
increase.  The current  ratios were 1.22,  1.34, as of September  30, 1998,  and
December 31, 1998 respectively.

Cash provided by operating  activities  was $4.8 million during the three months
ended  December  31, 1998 as compared  to ($0.97)  million  used during the same
period of fiscal year 1997. This increase is mainly  explained by an increase in
net  income  and  accounts  payable  mainly  offset by a  decrease  in notes and
accounts receivable.

INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES:

During the three months under analysis,  the Company made short term investments
and the  Company  invested  $0.80  million  in  property,  plant and  equipment,
compared to $0.64 million during the same period of fiscal year 1998. Management
expects  to invest  during  the  present  fiscal  year in  improving  production
equipment and to acquire an enterprise  resource  planning  software to meet the
Company's  increased need of obtaining  immediate and accurate  information  and
process improvement.

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

As  previously  mentioned in the investing  activities,  during 1998 the Company
used cash in capital  expenditures  which are  related  to the normal  investing
activities of the Company.  Indebtedness  decreased  from 72.34% as of September
30,  1998,  to 69.42% as of  December  31,  1998  mainly due to a  reduction  in
long-term  debt and loans combined with an improvement in the Company's cash and
cash  equivalents,  notes and accounts  receivable.  Management  re-financed the
Company's  debt during  fiscal year 1998 and  improved its  liquidity  position.
Liabilities increase is mainly a result of an increase of accounts payable. Cash
used by financing  activities  was $2.06  million  during the three months ended
December 31, 1998 compated to $2.1 million provided by financing  activities for
the three months ended  December 31, 1997. The decrease in 1998 is mainly due to
an increase in debt  amortization and decrease of notes payable during the three
months  ended  December 31, 1998,  compared to a  significant  increase in notes
payable during the same period of fiscal year 1998.


                                      -18-
<PAGE>


Leverage  ratio:  Leverage as of September 30, 1997 was 4.01 compared to 3.61 as
of December 31, 1998.  This ratio decreased due to the combined effect of stable
liabilities and the improvement of net income.

Pertaining to long-term  financing the Company  decreased its new loans by $0.13
million  during  the  three  months  ended   December  31,  1998,   compared  to
approximately $0.48 million new loans as of December 31, 1997.

Future payments of the Private Placement, are as follows:

YEAR
January 15, 2001              $ 4,000,000
January 15, 2002                4,000,000
January 15, 2003                4,000,000
January 15, 2004                4,000,000
January 15, 2005                4,000,000

Interest is payable each six months and started on July 14, 1998.

Management  expects to continue to finance  operations and capital  expenditures
with its normal operating  activities and external sources,  and that there will
be  sufficient  resources  available  to meet the  Company's  cash  requirements
through the rest of the fiscal year.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELEVANT TO FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF
SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

The Company and its  representatives  may from time to time make written or oral
forward-looking  statements with respect to their current views and estimates of
future economic  circumstances,  industry  conditions,  company  performance and
financial results.  These forward-looking  statements are subject to a number of
factors and  uncertainties,  which could cause the Company's  actual results and
experiences to differ materially from the anticipated  results and expectations,
expressed in such forward-looking  statements.  The Company cautions readers not
to place undue reliance on any forward-looking  statements,  which speak only as
of the date made. Among the factors that may affect the operating results of the
Company are the following:  (i) fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw
materials,  such as feed grain  costs in  relation to  historical  levels;  (ii)
market  conditions  for finished  products,  including the supply and pricing of
alternative proteins, all of which may impact the Company's pricing power; (iii)
risks associated with leverage,  including cost increases due to rising interest
rates;  (iv) changes in regulations  and laws,  including  changes in accounting
standards,   environmental  laws,  occupational,  health  and  safety;  currency
fluctuations; and (v) the effect of, or changes in, general economic conditions.

This  Management  Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of
Operations may include certain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of
Section 27E of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  and Section 21E of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  including  (without  limitations)
statements  with  respect  to  anticipated   future   operations  and  financial
performance,  growth and acquisition opportunity and other similar forecasts and
statements of expectation.  Words such as expects, anticipates,  intends, plans,
believes,  seeks,  estimates  and should and  various of those words and similar
expressions   are  intended  to  identify  these   forward-looking   statements.
Forward-looking  statements  made by the Company


                                      -19-
<PAGE>


and its management are based on estimates,  projections, beliefs and assumptions
of management at the time of such  statements  and are not  guarantees of future
performance.  The  Company  disclaims  any  obligations  to update or review any
forward-looking  statements based on occurrence of future events, the receipt of
new information or otherwise.

Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially  from those
expressed in  forward-looking  statements made by the Company and its management
as a result a number of risks,  uncertainties  and  assumptions. Representatives
examples of these factors include  (without  limitation) general  industrial and
economic  conditions;  cost  of capital  and  capital  requirements;  shifts  in
customer demands; changes in the continued availability of financial amounts and
at the terms necessary to support the Company's future business.


ITEM 3.   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Information  required by this item is located in this  report  under the heading
"Exchange Rate Risk," "Foreign  Competition,"  "Commodity Risk  Management," and
"Exchange Rate Risk Management."

Exchange Rate Risk

The  Company  makes  U.S.  dollar  payments  for  its  raw  materials  and  bank
facilities.  This U.S. dollar expense component is not unique to the Company, as
all poultry  producers in Central  America must rely on U.S.  companies  for raw
materials  such as corn,  soybean meal and  reproduction  birds.  Given its U.S.
dollar exposure,  the Company actively manages its exchange rate risk. It uses a
financial  model  to  determine  the  best  strategy  to  mitigate  against  the
devaluation of the currency of Costa Rica, the colon,  against the U.S.  dollar.
The Company  systematically  increases its annual sales prices by a rate that is
consistent with the colon  devaluation  against the U.S. dollar.  For the fiscal
years ended September 30, 1997 and 1998, the national devaluation rate was 11.6%
and 10.6%, respectively,  and correspondingly,  the Company increased its prices
12.6% and 13.03%,  respectively.  For the first quarter of the fiscal year,  the
national devaluation was 4.24 % and, correspondingly,  the Company increased its
prices  approximately 7%.  Management  believes that the Company's strong market
will allow for this type of price increase without sacrificing demand and market
share.  The Company has  successfully  passed along such  increases for the last
five years.  Management  plans to  increase  its export  operations  in order to
increase its U.S. dollar revenues, as all export sales are made in U.S. dollars.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998,  exports increased 16.28% (in U.S.
dollars) compared to exports for the same period in 1997.

     Foreign Competition

     The Company currently does not have any significant  domestic  competition.
The Company's local market share,  however,  could  potentially be threatened by
foreign  competition.  The  Company  believes  that this  likelihood  is low for
several reasons.  First, the Company has a strong  reputation for producing high
quality  products at a reasonable  price.  Secondly,  Costa Ricans  prefer fresh
chicken to frozen  chicken.  Due to  transportation  constraints  and  distance,
foreign competitors would have to sell frozen chicken if they were to sell it in
Costa Rica.

     The  Agriculture  Ministry in Costa Rica monitors all chicken  entering the
country,  as it wants to prevent the spread of Newcastle  Disease in Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican market currently is also protected by tariff agreements. Chicken
importers  must pay duties as  dictated by the  General  Agreement  on Trade and
Tariffs ("GATT"). These agreements were reached at the Uruguay Round of the GATT


                                      -20-
<PAGE>


negotiations  and are due to expire in 2004.  They  provide that only 942 metric
tons ("MT") of whole  chicken  parts or chicken  derivatives  can be imported to
Costa Rica from countries  outside of the Central  American Common Market.  This
quota is taxed 34% and  amounts  in excess of this  quota are  subject to a 170%
tariff.  This tax rate was based on the additional cost of producing  poultry in
Costa Rica compared to cost of production in the U.S.

     Commodity Risk Management

     The Company  imports all of its corn,  the  primary  ingredient  in chicken
feed, from the United States.  Movements in the price of corn can  significantly
affect the Company's gross profit margin. The Company's greatest cost components
are corn and  soybean  meal,  which are  imported  from the United  States.  The
Company purchases approximately $l.6 million of corn monthly through the Chicago
Board of Trade ("CBOT"). Corn and soybean meal purchases represent approximately
35% of total cost of goods sold and 70% of raw material costs. The price of corn
and soybean meal, like most grain  commodities,  is fairly volatile and requires
consistent and daily hedging in order to minimize the effect of price  increases
on the Company's profit margin.

     The Company has been actively  hedging its exposure to corn since 1991. The
Company  evaluates,  on a daily basis,  the price of corn and soybean meal.  All
hedging activities are supervised by the financial  department,  whose employees
have been trained at the CBOT and attend regular seminars on commodities hedging
strategies.

     Hedging strategies must be approved by the Company's hedging committee. The
committee consists of two analysts,  the Financial  Director,  Financial Manager
and  General  Vice  President.  The  committee  meets at  least  once a month to
evaluate the Company's exposure in corn and soybean meal. The Company's strategy
is to hedge against price increases in corn and soybean meal. The Company is not
involved in speculative  trading.  Contracts range from one month to six months.
The Company  will buy  directly  from the spot market if market  conditions  are
favorable,  but as a general rule, it purchases at least 50% of its corn through
contracts.  The Company's  hedging  strategy is set in its yearly budget,  which
determines how much corn and soybean meal it will need and the price it must pay
in order to meet budget forecasts. The Company uses an internal pricing model to
prepare  sensitivity  models.  The Company  bases its target prices on the worst
case price assumptions  (i.e. high corn prices).  The prices paid by the Company
for corn were 4.72% below its budgeted prices as of September,  1998.  Commodity
prices for fiscal 1998 have been below or equal to budgeted prices.

     The Company has a $500,000 credit line with Futures U.S.A.,  Inc. ("FIMAT")
and draws upon this credit line in order to cover its  initial  margin  deposit.
The interest rate paid on this line of credit is less than 10% on drawn amounts.
The  Company is in  constant  contact  with its  brokers (at least three to four
times a day) and receives advice from the brokers' corn experts.

     The Company's monthly soybean meal purchases total approximately  $900,000.
The hedging  strategies for soybean meal purchases are identical to that of corn
purchases,  except that the Company  purchases  its soybean meal through a Costa
Rican company, Industrial de Oleaginosas, S.A. ("Inolasa"), in which the Company
holds a 10% equity ownership.  In Costa Rica, there is a 5% tax for soybean meal
imports,  which is not levied if purchased  through  Inolasa.  If for any reason
Inolasa cannot deliver the soybean meal to the Company,  the Company can buy its
soybean meal directly  from the CBOT.  Thus far, the Company has never had to go
directly to the CBOT to purchase soybean meal.


                                      -21-
<PAGE>

     Exchange Rate Risk Management

     In addition to movements in the price of corn and soybean meal, the Company
has exposure to fluctuations  in exchange  rates, as payments for corn,  soybean
meal,  reproduction  birds and bank facilities are in U.S. dollars.  The Company
has an  internal  Economic  Studies  Division  whose sole  function is to follow
economic and industrial  trends that influence  foreign  exchange  levels.


                                      -22-
<PAGE>


This division  examines  areas such as poultry  gross  national  product,  gross
national  product  ("GNP"),  inflation,  devaluation,  export and import  growth
rates, growth in real wages, unemployment and population rates.

     Raw material  purchases have an average  payment period of 120 days,  hence
exchange rate risk is for four months.  During this time,  accounts are paid and
costs are  updated  to  reflect  new  exchange  rates.  In the event of a severe
devaluation of the colon, or increases in international  prices, the Company can
increase sales prices to recuperate its foreign  exchange  losses.  In addition,
all of the  Company's  exports are  denominated  in U.S.  dollars  (even exports
within  Central  America).  Management  expects  that the  strategy  to increase
exports will increase the Company's  U.S.  dollar  revenues.  The Company uses a
model to determine the maximum  devaluation  possible before it considers taking
on  U.S.-based  debt.  In  effect,  the  Company  borrows in U.S.  dollars  when
economically proven to be less expensive than borrowing in colones.


                           PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Litigation: Pipasa is a defendant in a lawsuit brought in Costa Rica in which it
was served with prejudgment liens. Pipasa substituted collateral for these liens
with the  approval of the court,  which  approval is currently  being  appealed.
Pipasa has not yet been served  with the  Complaint  in the case and  therefore,
cannot  ascertain the basis of the claim or the relief  sought,  but it believes
the lawsuit is without  merit and intends to assert a vigorous  defense.  At the
time,  neither the Company nor Pipasa can evaluate the potential  impact of this
lawsuit on the financial results of the Company.

No legal  proceedings of a material  nature to which the Company is a party were
pending during the first quarter of fiscal year 1999, nor as of the date of this
filing,  and the  Company  knows of no legal  proceedings  of a material  nature
pending or threatened or judgments  entered  against any director nor officer of
the Company in his capacity as such.

The Company is involved in various other claims and legal actions arising in the
ordinary  course  of  business.  In the  opinion  of  Management,  the  ultimate
disposition  of these  matters  will not have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

ITEM 2. CHANGES IN SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

The  Company  effectuated  a 1 for 3 reverse  stock  split (the  "Split") of the
Company's  common stock to be effective on December 29, 1998. In connection with
the Split, new certificates  will be issued and those  shareholders  owning more
than five shares of common  stock,  post Split,  shall receive one full share of
each  fraction  of a share to which they  would be  entitled.  Each  shareholder
holding less than five shares of common  stock,  post Split,  shall  receive the
payment for the  fractional  share held by them based on the mean of bad and ask
prices on the effective date of the Split.


                                      -23-
<PAGE>


ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

On December 4, 1998, the Company sent to its  stockholders of record on November
29, 1998, a Consent  solicitation  Statement  soliciting written consent for the
acquisitions  of the remaining  interest in Pipasa and As de Oros,  respectively
the Final Pipasa  Agreement and the Final As de Oros  Agreement.  As of December
28, 1998 (the "Action  Date")  holders of more than a majority of the  Company's
issued and outstanding shares consented to these transactions. Consequently, the
transactions  have been  approved by the consent of the  Company's  shareholders
and,  upon receipt by the Company of the fairness  opinions  with respect to the
transactions,  which has not been yet received by the Company, but expects to be
received during the second quarter of fiscal year 1999. The final  tabulation of
consents,  as of the Action  Date,  was  14,368,386  consents  for, 335 consents
against,  and 5,441  consents  abstained,  for the  acquisition  of Pipasa,  and
14,368,384 consents for, 337 consents against, and 5,441 consents abstained, for
the acquisition of As de Oros.

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION

Effective  on  December  29,   1998,   the  Company   amended  its  Articles  of
Incorporation by filing Articles of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the
State of Nevada,  changing the number of  authorized  shares of the  Corporation
shall be  20,000,000  shares of common  stock,  with a par value a $ 0.001,  and
1,000,000  shares of preferred  stock with a par value of $ 0.001, In connection
with the Split, new certificates  will be issued and those  shareholders  owning
more than five shares of common stock, post Split,  shall receive one full share
of each  fraction of a share to which they would be entitled.  Each  shareholder
holding less than five shares of common  stock,  post Split,  shall  receive the
payment for the  fractional  share held by them based on the mean of bid and ask
prices on the effective date of the Split.
 
ITEM 6.  EXHIBITS AND REPORTS OF FORM 8-K

a) Exhibit No. 27 - Financial Data Schedule (filed herewith).

b) Reports on Form 8-K: One report on Form 8-K was filed on October 13, 1998 and
amended on November 18, 1998.


                                      -24-
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

In accordance  with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  that duly  caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report
has been signed below by the following  persons on behalf of the  Registrant and
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

                              RICA FOODS, INC.



Dated:  February 19, 1999     ------------------------------
                              Calixto Chaves
                              Chief Executive Officer





Dated:  February 19, 1999     ------------------------------
                              Randall Piedra 
                              Chief Financial Officer




Dated:  February 19, 1999     ------------------------------
                              Monica Chaves
                              Secretary


                                      -25-
<PAGE>



<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                 5
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OF RICA FOODS,  INC. FOR THE QUARTER  ENDED  DECEMBER 31,
1998,  AND  IS  QUALIFIED  IN  ITS  ENTIRETY  BY  REFERENCE  TO  SUCH  FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>

       
<S>                            <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<CASH>                                       6,010,631
<SECURITIES>                                    40,184
<RECEIVABLES>                               11,283,675
<ALLOWANCES>                                   835,148
<INVENTORY>                                 12,240,035
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                            30,039,792
<PP&E>                                      36,963,948
<DEPRECIATION>                               9,062,252
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              66,128,967
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                       22,388,097
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                  4,323,025
<COMMON>                                         7,419
<OTHER-SE>                                   8,379,189
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                66,128,967
<SALES>                                     31,651,795
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                            31,651,795
<CGS>                                       20,006,822
<TOTAL-COSTS>                               20,006,822
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                             6,945,142
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           1,080,919
<INCOME-PRETAX>                              3,585,093
<INCOME-TAX>                                   338,288
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                          1,634,585
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                 1,634,585
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.20
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.20
        


</TABLE>


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