The consumption of pork has been forbidden in Judaism (see Kosher) by Jewish dietary laws (“kashrut”) since 1170 BC, in Islam since 624 AD under the teachings of Surah Al-Ma’ida, and in Christianity for some similar reasons that are rather unknown thus far.
It has Come a Long Way since it was Known
But fast forward to present, the pork industry is a multi-billion dollar business, and it’s only getting bigger. In 2011, the top 10 companies controlled over 50% of sales.
What about the rest of the market? The remaining 50% was spread out evenly across more than 22,000 independent producers.
Simplifying Business Operations
Buying pork at scale can be a huge challenge for these independent farmers. They must deal with different retailers and processors that vary in size, location and bargaining power. It makes sense to look for ways to increase profit margins by eliminating some of this complexity from their business operations.