Discovering NC Agriculture is a year-long series focusing on twelve N.C. grown, raised, caught, and made commodities. Tune in each month to see how an N.C. commodity is grown, harvested, packed for consumer use and more. Learn nutritional value, find fun recipes to try, hear from local chefs who use that product, and other unique commodity facts throughout the series. We look forward to helping you better understand some of our N.C. commodities and how they impact your everyday lives!
Pork is a staple in North Carolina, from barbecue to pork skins. Goodnight Brothers County Ham, located in Boone, has been diversifying products in the pork industry for over 70 years. Although they are well-known for their country ham, they also produce several flavors of pork skins, which have become a favorite of customers across the state.
Goodnight Brothers, established in the 1930’s, was originally a produce company growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. “The company was started by five brothers,” said Tony Snow, Vice President of Goodnight Brothers. “When four of the five brothers moved to expand the company in other areas, the Boone center became the main distribution center.” Today, Goodnight Brothers has several distribution centers across Western NC to service customers across the state and beyond.
So how did the produce company turn into a country ham producer? “It started as a way to give our employees something to do during the winter months,” Tony said. “With the produce season coming to an end, we wanted our employees to be able to stay with us year-round, and country ham was the way to do that. However, we had no idea how far that would take us!” Immediately after Goodnight Brothers began releasing country ham, the company took off in a way that it hadn’t before. In fact, it created so much interest and demand that the Goodnight family decided to step out of produce and enter the N.C. pork industry full-time! Today, Goodnight Brothers is home to a 100-acre square foot facility in Boone that produces a variety of pork products all year long, including country ham, dry cured bacon, pork fatback, and pork skins.
By working with four pork producers, one of them being Villari Foods in Eastern NC, Goodnight Brothers is able to source the high-quality ham that they need to make their products. “We have very specific needs when it comes to the pork that we purchase,” Tony said, “so, we work with a few producers who understand that.” Once the pork arrives at the packing facility in Boone, Tony and his team replicate the old school process of curing the ham to ensure the best flavor and quality. “I was surrounded by farmers growing up, so I saw the slaughtering and curing process firsthand,” Tony said. “We duplicate that process here by salting the ham for one year. It takes 90 days to cure the ham in a controlled environment, which means it takes 120 days from facility to table.” Goodnight Brothers facility processes 250-280,000 pounds of pork per week! “Country ham is what keeps the lights on, but we also diversify our product line with pork skins, bacon and more,” Tony said.
Goodnight Brothers partners with a company to produce three flavors of pork skins each year: Original, BBQ, and Hot & Spicy. “Pork skins are a Southern staple, so we knew that adding them to our product line would be a hit,” Tony said. Pork skins are a fresh skin that has been pressed and shaped. Once they are fried, the skin expands and cracks, creating the texture and flavor that customers love.
Products from Goodnight Brothers can be found at a variety of locations and restaurants, including Bojangles, Hardees, Piggly Wiggly, IGA, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, and Ingles. In fact, anytime you order a country ham biscuit from Hardees or Bojangles, you are enjoying a product from Goodnight Brothers! Another popular restaurant the company has a longstanding partnership with is the Dan’l Boone Inn. “They are one of our largest customers because they order anywhere from 25 to 100 cases of ham per week,” Tony said. “Having them serve our ham in their restaurant has been a blessing that has helped us grow our product line and brand.” Products can also be purchased online through their shop.
As a Got to Be NC member, Goodnight Brothers participates in many community events throughout the year, including the Got to Be NC Festival, the Flavors of Carolina show, and the N.C. State Fair. “The Got to Be NC program has been instrumental to our growth as a company,” Tony said. “It’s like having another team of staff members that care about your company and work hard to further its mission and products.” We are honored to have them as a part of this program and thank them for all that they do in the N.C. pork industry!
