Kerkini buffalo meat
By respecting...
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our story - the company today - our philosophy
our story...
Our company is an entirely Greek family business with a history of livestock farming going back to 1987, when the Boras Family Farm was established. To this day, we raise Greek pigs in our farm for the production of cold cuts and other meat products.
The year 1996 saw the mad cow disease scandal, while in 2008, there arose the issue of dioxins in pork meat. These were the reasons why we looked into the production of meat from buffaloes, which had been present in the Lake Kerkini area since ancient times. Until then, buffalo meat had been excluded from the dietary customs of the region, since large-scale production was not feasible. A first attempt at the processing of buffalo meat in 2001 was not met with success.
The meat of buffaloes used to be of low quality, as the animals had not previously been fed correctly, only consuming wild vegetation from around the lake. Grazing lands had not been developed in the wider area or there was no access to those that existed, as they were used for grazing cattle. The Boras brothers, through great efforts, managed to create herds and persuaded certain livestock farmers to undertake the raising of the Greek water buffalo.
Within a short time, the animals were yielding high quality meat, which, according to analyses, was superior to any other red meat. Its essential nutritional characteristics are a high content in iron and protein, combined with a fat content even lower than that of chicken. These characteristics are what make it superior in quality, even today.
In 2004, we created the first packaged product with Kerkini buffalo meat, the traditional buffalo “kavourma”. This product made a great impression in the national market, winning many awards, and surprising both consumers and renowned chefs with its exceptional flavour and nutritional value.
It was through this that a network of producers was gradually created, raising the Greek water buffalo in accordance with standards set by our company.
As pioneers, we hold a leading position in the production, standardisation and processing of Greek buffalo meat.
our company today...
Our company is an entirely Greek family business with a history of livestock farming going back to 1987, when the Boras Family Farm was established.
In 2001, our company was the first to engage in the production and processing of Greek water buffalo meat in the region by guiding, training and financing local farmers in the creation of modern facilities for the purpose of breeding Greek water buffaloes.
Nowadays, our company has a modern factory in the Lake Kerkini area, which produces traditional products from both buffalo and pork meat from our farms, persisting in our resolution to provide Greek products of high nutritional value.
Our products are regularly shipped to over 500 sales outlets, while production has increased; there is now a total of between 7,000 and 10,000 animals in modern, supervised farms. This is the largest number yet, but is still small in comparison with bovine production, making the meat of the Greek water buffalo both valuable and unique!
Today our company has a leading position in the field, covering 90% of the domestic demand with its water buffalo meat products. The continuously increasing production of water buffalo meat is due to the proper management of the animals, as well as the incentives that our company gives to producers; to develop and participate in a sustainable production process plan through contract farming.
In a state-of-the-art facility in the area of Lake Kerkini and surrounded by the producer's farms, our company produces certified products from Greek buffalo meat according to the strictest hygiene and food rules, applying the EN ISO 22000:2018 - Quality Management System.
our philosophy...
With respect to man and nature…
Acting with this philosophy in mind, Boras has evolved based on the strict application of all quality and safety certification principles. It implements the Food Safety Management System according to EN ISO 22000:2018 and Quality Management System.
With a modern meat processing and standardization plant, Boras produces excellent products that have fans everywhere.
The continuous monitoring of the animal population, from birth to slaughter - thanks to the consistency of the scientific and technical staff - ensures quality in the production process at every stage. Our staff is continuously trained in hygiene and safety rules and production technologies. At the same time, thanks to traceability, we ensure the thorough monitoring of each animal through the GL1 TRACE programme.
The basic principle of the company, however, is the correct use of sustainable energy sources, waste management, and controlled management of the animals in the area, so that the animals live in a free environment, under ideal conditions. Intensive farming is not an option. Free-range farming is.
Free-range animal farming plays and important role in the protection of nature, particularly in places that are inaccessible to humans and machines. Thus, the rearing of cattle, and especially the Greek water buffalo, constitutes a form of protection against environmental degradation, rural desertification, and anything that could threaten the beauty and sustainability of the local ecosystem.