Бони Холдинг АД

Founded 30 years ago, today “Boni Holding” SA is one of the largest companies in the Bulgarian food industry, leader in the production of pork, and one of the most recognized manufacturers of meat products and delicacies.

The company includes farms for hybrid and commodity pig breeding, as well as one of the most advanced meat processing complexes in Europe, which disposes with technological capabilities for production of unlimited product range of meat products.

“Boni Holding” is a vertically integrated company, which accomplishes activities on all production levels:

- fodder production
- pig-breeding
- hybrid
- commodity
- slaughtering
- cutting
- meat processing

The beginning of the development of the pig breeding sector in “Boni Holding” starts in 2000 with the purchase of a few pig farms. The main reason behind the decision to create and develop own pig breeding is the unsatisfactory quality of the available meat for industrial processing and severe shortage of raw materials, which the meat processing sector of the group experiences at that moment.

Today “Boni Holding” is the largest producer of pork meat in the country and the main driving force of the Bulgarian pig breeding, with constant investment activity aimed at the improved effectiveness and increased number of pigs in the farms. At the present moment in the commodity pig farms of the holding 250 000 pure-bred animals are bred. They are distinguished by a very high percentage of the lean meat, tenderness and lower substance of fat in it compared to the traditionally raised breeds in Bulgaria. The closed cycle, which starts from the modern genetics, the special fodder and the technology of raising guarantees repeatability and high quality of the raised animals, and from there the high quality of the meat products.

The pig farms are combined in two pairs, consisting of a reproducer and a commodity farm. Additionally, there is a hybrid center, which manages the processes related to the genetics of the animals for the whole pig breeding sector of "Boni Holding". In the reproducer, the piglets are raised up to reaching a weight of 35 kg and then are moved to the commodity farm for fattening. The two tandem farms are situated in the regions of grain production of Bulgaria, which allows for effective provisioning with fodder.

The farms, which were included in the group of “Boni Holding” in the beginning, were populated with the existing at that time traditional Bulgarian breeds of pigs, characterized with high fodder conversion, low daily growth and low content of the lean meat. The combination of these characteristics brings low effectiveness and inadequate results in the farms. This leads to the decision to start the process of complete change of the genetics of the entire pig population bred in the farms. As a result, in 2001 the holding contacts the leading company in pig genetics - DANBRED.

Currently all pig breeding farms of “Boni Holding” are populated with animals with Danish genetics. Three pure-bred lines are utilized - Landras, Yorkshire and Durok. By crossing of these lines, pigs for fattening are produced. They are characterized with low fodder conversion, high daily growth and high contents of the lean meat. The crossing of the animals is managed by the Hybrid Center for Pig-breeding in the city of Shumen, where each pure-bred animal is registered in the database of DANBED and receives a certificate for quality from the Danish company.

Within the group of “Boni Holding” operate five pig breeding farm. Each one of the pig breeding farms is specialized for a certain stage of the process of rising of the pigs.

The feeding is secured by two fodder productions, situated in the pig breeding farm Brestak and Hybrid Center for Pig Breeding in Shumen. In the produced in these workshops fodders ready vitamin-minerals complexes are placed. Equipment of the highest class, produced by companies - worldwide leaders in the field, secures the microclimate and the feeding. The buildings for rising of animals are reconstructed and operate in conditions meeting the highest requirements for humane attitudes toward animals. The live pigs are transported between the farms and to the slaughterhouse with own licensed transport.

In the Hybrid Center for Pig Breeding in the city of Shumen the full cycle of pig breeding is completed, i.e. 1500 sows, 37 000 piglets and the relevant number fatted pigs annually are produced. The center runs its own fodder workshop, which at the presence of purchased grains and ready vitamin-mineral complexes has the ability to produce fodder for the needs of the pig breeding farm.

Pig breeding farm Brestak has a capacity to produce 2 700 sows and 67 000 piglets up to 35 kg. The animals from this pig breeding farm are transported to pig breeding farm Nikola Kozlevo for fattening. Next to the farm functions a workshop for a production of ready vitamin- mineral complexes with capacity 5 tons/hour ready product and a fodder workshop for the production of combined fodder with capacity 15 tons/hour ready product, as well as a silo for preservation of 7500 tons of grain.

In pig breeding farm Nikola Kozlevo 67 000 pigs are fattened annually. The piglets are transported from the pig breeding farm in Brestak.

In pig breeding farm Krumovo Gradishte 1 800 sows and 45 000 piglets with weight up to 35 kg are raised. The piglets are then transported to pig breeding farm Zimen for fattening.

In Pig breeding farm Zimen 45 000 pigs are fattened annually. The piglets are transported from the pig breeding farm in Krumovo Gradishte.

The meat processing activity of “Boni Holding” is concentrated in the cities of Lovech and Karlovo. The investments of “Boni Holding” in the two production centers exceed € 20 mln.

The production center in Lovech represents an enterprise that includes an industrial cutting house, a factory for production of salami and delicacies, and a factory for production of meat preparations (meat cuts, minced meats, raw sausages and semi-manufactured products; ready to eat/cook products). Due to their close proximity, the three meats processing factories in Lovech form one extremely effective production complex. It has an attached refrigeration camp with total build up area of 1923 sq. meters, boiler station and local water purification plant for waste waters. The buildings are constructed with sectional metal load-bearing construction. The surrounding wall elements are filled with warm- and noise- insolating layers. In functional terms the production blocks are separated to reception area, processing area and shipping area with their inherent technologically isolated premises and refrigeration areas. Due to the newest requirements for production of safe and quality food, a controlled sanitary-hygiene block for the personnel is formed and available. In terms of placement, the buildings are located in such a way that they have controlled entrances and exits. In 2007 the production complex in Lovech won the prestige national award “Building of the year” in the category “Industrial Buildings”.

The meat processing enterprise of “Boni Holding” in Karlovo is specialized in production of raw-cured salami and delicacies. The greatest wealth of Karlovo meat processing factory is its drying chambers where the products dry, mature and get their taste qualities under the influence of the unique micro-flora. During the long years, the Karlovo drying chambers have cultivated several lactic acid bacteria strains, a combination that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Thanks to the specific climate conditions, the preserved manufacturing tradition and the use of advanced equipment for meat processing, the products of the Karlovo factory differ from the rest because of their unique quality and taste.

The slaughtering is organized in a way allowing optimal utilization of the animal carcasses and in accordance to the requirements for the humane attitudes toward animals. The slaughtering is accomplished in a partnering slaughterhouse, situated in the city of Targovishte, under the direct control of the specialists from “Boni Holding”.The outsourced production ensures slaughtering of 8 000 pigs per month and direct delivery of the ready production to the meat processing enterprises of the holding and its clients. The produced pork carcass meat is with constant high quality. The ensured deliveries of pigs from own production at the entrance guarantees its homogeneousness, which ensures optimal industrialization and optimization of the processes at the following stages of the meat processing.

“Boni Holding” is currently designing its own high-tech industrial slaughterhouse, which shall be situated in the outer limits of the city of Lovech and contribute for an additional increase of the effectiveness in the meat processing. The slaughterhouse is designed to ensure capacity for slaughtering of 1 200 animals per day or the equivalent production of around 100 tons of carcass meat per day. The planned investment is at the amount of BGN 10 mln. and shall provide work for 100 additional employees.

The cutting of the pork carcasses is accomplished in the industrial cutting house of “Boni Holding”, which is part of the production complex in the city of Lovech. It has total build up area of 2 965 sq. meters and production capacity for cutting of 1 200 pigs per day. The cutting house produces the full range of consumer meat cuts for retail, as well as industrial preparations (pork carcass meats, industrial pork and veal cuts), raw materials for production and sub-products. Due to its strategic position in the center of Bulgaria and raw-material security, due to own pig production, the enterprise for cutting is able to ensure regular deliveries of fresh meat for its clients all over the country.

The production of salami and delicacies is divided between the meat factories in the cities of Lovech and Karlovo.

The meat processing enterprise in Lovech covers a total build up area of 8 870 sq. meters and has a production capacity of 50 tons ready product per day. The product range includes: raw-cured products, cooked-smoked salami, cooked-smoked delicacies, cooked products, hams, pátes. Technologically, the enterprise is equipped for production of all kinds of meat products, which require curing, smoking and cooking.

The meat processing factory of “Boni Holding” in the city of Karlovo is specialized in the production of raw-cured sausages and delicacies. The Karlovo factory is the only meat processing entity that has the right to produce the famous in Bulgaria “Karlovska lukanka”. Positioned in the luxury price segment, it is the most popular brand and the quality standard for the raw-cured delicacies market in Bulgaria. Its unique taste comes from the combination of selected fresh meats, natural spices and the secret recipe passed on from generation to generation. No ferments are used for its maturing as this happens naturally under the influence of the specific micro-flora developed in the drying chambers of the Karlovo meat processing factory under the influence of the unique geographical location of the town of Karlovo and the centuries-old manufacturing tradition. In 2009 the production capabilities of the available enterprise are extended by building and putting into active service of a second curing unit, with which the total build up area increases to 10 000 sq. meters, and the capacity for production of raw-cured products to 10 tons ready product per day.

Within “Boni Holding” functions a specialized enterprise for production of meat preparations (retail and industrial meat cuts, minced meats, raw sausages and semi-manufactured meat products; ready to eat/cook products). The specialized factory for the production of these product groups is a part of “Mesokombinat Lovech” SA and is located in the same production complex in the city of Lovech. It operates a modern technological equipment and effectively organized production process with separated functionally isolated production halls:

- hall for mechanical processing of the meat;
- hall for forming by utilizing of automated and highly productive machines;
- hall for thermal treatment, in which function two modern roasting lines;
- hall for packaging, with equipment for different packaging of the meat products;
- hall for marking of the ready production.

The enterprise covers a total build up area of 3 925 sq. meters, has its own shipping ramp and production capacity of 40 tons ready product per day.

The distributors of “Boni Holding” are its representatives on the market of the traditional trade in the country. The distribution network is built on a territorial principle and is divided among the distributors covering the territory of the entire country. Each distributor obtains the exclusive or partial rights to sell the products with the brands of “Boni Holding” and serves a specific region. Each of the distributors owns specialized refrigeration transport, meeting the requirements for transport of meat and meat products, refrigeration warehouse and personnel with experience in distribution and trade of meat and meat products.

To find a distributor near you, please see Contacts.