Established in 1920, Porky’s began as a micro-scale traditional pig farm managed by the Barhouch family. Over the years, the farm flourished and transformed into a comprehensive pig farm and butchery during the early 1960s. Boutros Barhouch, a member of the family, played a pivotal role by introducing new products, including sausages and pork cuts, to the shop.
The third generation, Alain and Mario Barhouch, took the enterprise to greater heights by actively participating in international seminars and workshops. They sought inspiration and adopted innovative practices from abroad.
As part of their efforts to improve the quality and variety of their products, they established a strategic partnership with RAPS, a renowned spice and seasonings producer based in Germany. This collaboration was specifically aimed at expanding their offerings in the pork segment. Consequently, Porky’s now offers an impressive array of sausage types, currently totaling 15, alongside modern pork cuts.
Having obtained the ISO22000 certification, Porky’s currently operates at full production capacity. Recently, they relocated to a newly established fine butchery and retail shop in Sahel Alma.
Production of Pork Chops and Sausages
Porky’s proposed project to the Food System Challenge is to scale and enhance the production of pork chops and sausages. To achieve this, they plan to commission new machinery and develop new pork products.
By acquiring new equipment, including a tumbler, a cutting machine, a cold room, and a smoker/boiler, Porky’s aims to expand and diversify its product range. They intend to introduce smoked bacon, new types of sausages, and hams.
This project is expected to have significant impacts, which include increasing employment opportunities at the production facility by adding six new hires and establishing contract farming agreements with two additional pig farmers located in the North and Metn areas thus indirectly influencing the workforce of outsourced farms, as they will need to employ additional workers to sustain production.
The company creates import substitutes by producing bacon, a new product, and additional lines of sausages and ham while reducing selling prices, with an expected decrease of 40% compared to imported products.
Through this project, Porky’s aims to consolidate its position in the market, increase efficiency, and contribute to the local and regional economy.
The Food System Challenge
The Food System Challenge is implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP) and Berytech through support from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The program’s main outcomes are enhanced food security, a well-functioning local food system, enhanced efficiency and resilience of cooperatives and SMEs working across different streams of the food systems, and increased employment opportunities, especially for women and vulnerable individuals.
