First export deal for Northern Irish ham and bacon processor

Northern Irish bacon and ham specialist J.H. Givan has secured its first export business in the Republic of Ireland and is exploring opportunities for its premium pork products in Great Britain.

Based in Belfast, Givan has been supplying cooked hams and bacon to retailers and foodservice operations in Northern Ireland for over 50 years. The family business was formed in 1938 and has become one of the best-known names in cooked ham and bacon processing especially for clients in foodservice.

The fourth generation family business is now supplying products to a convenience food manufacturer in Dublin. It has vast experience in the foodservice sector in Northern Ireland and also supplies many of the region's high-end retailers and delis.

David Givan, a director of the business, says: "We all recognise that growing the business will require a much sharper focus on sales outside Northern Ireland.

"This immensely encouraging business in the Irish Republic was facilitated by one of Invest NI's food sector marketing advisers and is now making a significant contribution to our turnover," he adds.

"We need to look at the Republic and then Great Britain because we're pretty well established in Northern Ireland within our target market of foodservice, high end butchers and delis."

Specialising in the supply of traditionally cooked and roasted hams and pork, Givan continues to focus on the processing of products prized by the region's leading retailers, butchers and specialist delis.

The family business currently employs eight people and has operated from an EC approved purpose-built processing unit in Belfast for almost 20 years. It began as a small grocery business in 1938.

Mr Givan attributes the longevity of the business to its longstanding commitment to "outstanding taste" and customer service. "Our process for curing and preparing hams is simple and completely natural. We don't add anything to the hams, pork and bacon.

"We source pork legs from a supplier we've worked with over many decades. This means we know where all our raw materials come from and how the pigs are reared, a commitment in line with the current focus on provenance.

"Good husbandry and animal welfare procedures are very important to us. Heritage and provenance are part of what sets Givan's products apart in today's exacting and fiercely competitive markets," he adds.

The pork legs are cured using a secret family recipe from 1938 for six days before being boned, cooked for up to eight hours, then cooled and packed. This means that the hams can be on the plates of customers in just over a week.

The whole process takes place on the premises which also ensures the company has complete control over its products. The range has also grown steadily and includes cooked hams such as traditional roast, crumbed ham, mustard, smoked and festive along with traditional cooked gammon, traditional gammon, with or without bone, and roast pork. There's also a popular Festive Ham (with pineapple and cherry) for Christmas and other holiday periods. Other meats in the extensive portfolio include fresh pork, a comprehensive range of bacon and pork sausages.