Swine producers have recently expressed increased interest in gaining greater value from hogs raised by investing or aligning further up the market chain. Perceived advantages include increased control over their product, an opportunity to gain direct access to customers, and to capture a greater value of the final price of pork which has increased relative to farm prices. However, few participants in the market chain have a complete understanding of the challenges in controlling a greater part of the market chain. In order to gain insights into the issues faced by direct pork marketing firms, a case study methodology was developed and three direct marketing pork firms were studied. The case studies were conducted in the first half of 1999. Three cases were chosen: Nahunta Pork Center in North Carolina, The Egg & I Pork Farm in Connecticut and Gordito’s Meats in Utah.

Each case study participant had a unique pork production system. However, there are commonalities which arose which provide further guidance for those seeking to develop niche or value added markets.

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