Founded 25 years ago, today “Bony Holding” Ltd is one of the largest companies in the register of the Bulgarian food industry, a leader in the production of pork meat and one of the most acknowledged suppliers of meat products and sausages. It operates hybrid and stock pig farms and one of the most modern meat processing complexes in Europe, with technological capabilities to produce a limitless variety of products.
„Bony Holding“ is a vertically integrated company operating at all production levels: fodder production, hybrid and stock pig farming, pork butchery and processing. It started far back in 1991 when an individual company “Bony Oborot” was launched, which later transformed into a joint-stock company. It privatized a series of state-owned meat industry plants in the towns of Velingrad and Pravets, followed by those in the towns of Lovech and Karlovo. “Haskovo Meat Industry Plant” and “Russe Meat Industry Plant” are also part of the “Bony Holding” group.
To avoid the problems of shortage of raw materials the company decided to develop individual pig farming. Thus, “Bony Holding” acquired “Hybrid Center for Pig Farming” in the town of Shument and many stock complexes in North-East and South-East Bulgaria. It also completed a large-scale project of building a pig farming complex in Lovech.
The development of pig farming started in 2000 when “Bony Holding” purchased several complexes. The main reason for initiating and developing an individual enterprise was the unsatisfactory meat quality and the shortage of meat raw materials experienced by the company at that time.
To optimize the capacity, “Bony Holding” concentrated meat processing in the plants of Lovech and Haskovo, and in 2008 the revenue already exceeded 100 million levs. The production of roughly dried sausages and delicacies was restructured and modernized in the “Karlovo Meat Industry Plant”. A new drying line was also launched thus increasing the overall capacity of the company by the introduction of additional capacities of meat drying and aging. The revenue exceeded 150 million levs in only 4 years due to the investments in new capacities and the expansion of the assortment.
Nowadays, “Bony Holding” is the largest local producer of pork, powering the Bulgarian pig farming by continuous investments in the field and pursuing an increase of efficiency and pig population. At present, 250 000 thoroughbred pigs are breaded in farms of the company. Note the high percentage of lean meat and the low percentage of fat as compared to the traditional Bulgarian pig breeds. The closed cycle comprising modern genetics, special fodders, and breeding methods guarantees repeatability and growth of high-quality animals, i.e. high quality of the meat assortment.
Two couples of pig breeding complexes have been formed, consisting of a reproducer and a livestock farm plus a hybrid center for genetics control. Pigs are born in the reproducer, breaded there until gaining 35 kg live weight, and then fattened in the stock farm. There are two tandems in the grain crop areas of Bulgaria allowing for an efficient fodder supply.
The meat processing industry of the “Bony Holding” is concentrated in Lovech and Karlovo. The investments of the company in both production centers exceed 20 million Euro. The complex in Karlovo specializes in the production of roughly dried sausages and delicacies. The most valuable equipment of the “Karlovo Meat Industry Plant” is the air-conditioned dryers where products age and dry. Moreover, the formation of their taste and flavor also takes place in the dryers under the effect of a unique micro-flora. Several strains of lactic acid bacteria were cultivated in the Karlovo driers over time, while their particular combination is unique worldwide. The products are unique in quality and taste thanks to the specific climatic conditions, the preserved production traditions, and the use of modern equipment for meat processing.
The entire development of “Bony Holding” is accompanied by serious investments. The idea is to close the production cycle comprising fodder growing and preparation, animal breeding, meat processing, and offer of final products. The 100% Bulgarian meat assortment is exceptionally popular among and liked by Bulgarian consumers.
When large chain stores such as Metro, Kaufland, Billa, HIT, and Lidl were introduced in Bulgaria after 2000, “Bony Holding” started offering many products abroad. Customers in dozens of European countries already know what’s behind the “Bony Holding” brands – quality and unique taste, i.e. a true culinary experience!
