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Leaning on Fat
A unique look at an immerging market
by Mark Meurer
So long leanness. Good-bye grade and yield. Adios back fat probe. There is a new market in town and it likes FAT! The roaster pig market of New York City is spreading the news that plump, tasty and fat little pigs are in demand.
According to Bruce Dealaman, owner of Dealaman Enterprises, a New Jersey-based pork processing facility, the east coast roaster pig market is a niche without end. Dealaman, a major supplier of roaster pigs to New York City, attributes this robust market to the tastes and preferences of the Asian population in China Town.
“The Asian market prefers a smaller, fatter pig. They use these little pigs for centerpieces at banquets, parties and festivals,” explains Dealaman.
Unlike the mainstream pork industry, the roaster market is not concerned with leanness or muscle volume. Roaster pigs, which normally weight 35-40 pounds when processed, must have ample fat distribution and good skin. Dealaman emphasizes that the perfect roaster pig holds its moisture while cooking to a crispy, golden brown. Without excellent skin quality and thick insulating fat, the inside moisture of the roaster pig will gradually begin to seep. According to sources, nothing is more terrifying than a leaking roaster pig on a white linen tablecloth!
To procure these “butterball” porkies, Dealaman relies on producers from across the heartland and eastern seaboard. Needing approximately 150-225 roasters per week, Dealaman starts a truck in Nebraska and makes stops across Iowa, Illinois and eventually eastern Pennsylvania. Once the pigs are delivered and harvested, they are sold to a distributor who markets them throughout the China Town district of New York City.
Currently, Dealaman coordinates with 20 producers who supply roasters on a weekly or biweekly basis. “Most of our suppliers run 20-100 sows. As you can see, we rely on the family farmer for our business. Many of our producers would have left the industry during the crash of 1998, but because of the roaster pig market, they stayed in business,” Dealaman states.
With the help of the three little pigs and a few thousand of their chubby cousins, Dennis Gibbs of Benson, Illinois, is one of those producers who survived 1998. “I know we were getting more for 35 pound pigs, than other producers were receiving for 250 pounders,” he recalls.
According to Gibbs, selling roaster pigs is not the challenge; producing them is. “This market requires a totally different mindset. To be successful raising roasters, you must find the type of genetics that disappeared 40 years ago. Remember, leanness does not matter, fat is the most important trait,” he emphasizes.
Dealaman agrees that genetics are the most crucial ingredient in making desirable roaster pigs. “We need breeding stock that is softer made, less muscled and has plenty of back fat. The term “old-line” genetics describes what we look for in boars and gilts.”
Sows that milk like Holsteins are also a key component in roaster pig production. Because piglets are “milk-fed” and sold right off their momma, the sow herd plays a pivotal role in the “rollie-pollie” art of making roaster pigs.
In fact, Gibbs credits much of his roaster pig success to his quality sow herd. “We try to market 40-50 roasters per week. Because those pigs need to weigh 35 pounds in about 50 days, we need sows that have large litters, milk, stay durable and breed back quickly. We also discovered that sows with moderate frame size and shorter bodies produce nicely finished roaster pigs that are blocky, compact and thrifty,” says Gibbs.
The most frequently asked question about niche or alternative markets is “How long before the market is saturated and no longer a unique market outlet?” Dealaman answers with confidence. “The Asian market of New York City continues to grow. As people immigrate to the United States they locate to areas of similar ethnicity. China Town is one such place. In fact, two Asian grocery stores have recently opened within miles of our packing plant. This tells us that the demand for roaster pigs should continue to expand.”
As the industry moves into the 21st century, the demand for lean muscle continues to drive the pork business. Packers rely on grade and yield sheets and implement high tech equipment to calculate lean percentage in every carcass. However, one New Jersey packer, a small group of pork producers and thousands of hungry consumers in China Town say, “Bring on the lard!”
The roaster pig market of New York City-a unique niche with a fat and happy future.
