Ava

What Ava does

AVA Companies, doing business as AVA Pork, is a privately held, family-owned B2B fresh protein processor and distributor founded in 1985 by Albert Girgenti and headquartered in Hicksville, New York. The company sources, processes, packages, and distributes fresh pork, beef, ground meats, patties, smoked products, value-added items (marinated, breaded, seasoned), variety/offal cuts, and dry-aged beef under a USDA Inspected Facility (Est# 17990A) with HACCP and SQF Level II certifications plus Organic Certification. Its core packaging capabilities span overwrap case-ready retail packs with modified atmosphere mother bags, roll stock (vac pack) using cryovac bags in multiple sizes and film gauges, and MAP lidstock trays — all designed for in-store labor reduction and shrink elimination at retail meat departments.

The business operates on a transaction-fee B2B sales model, selling directly to retail grocery chains, supermarket meat departments, and foodservice establishments (restaurants, hotels) across the Northeast USA, with no disclosed intermediaries. Its single production site in Hicksville, NY (acquired 2003, operational 2006) supports both case-ready retail production and just-in-time delivery — a capability added in 2012 that the company states competitors could not match. The company markets through a direct sales force, a corporate website, and a downloadable product catalog PDF, with no social media presence beyond a careers portal.

Revenue is generated through product sales of fresh and processed proteins and custom processing services; pricing is not publicly disclosed but includes "program priced merchandise" offerings. Management is deeply tenured — CEO Lenny Lombardi (25 years), VP Domenic Capul (23+ years), VP Luigi Delfini (10+ years), Controller Ariel Aristondo (10 years) — supported by ownership claiming a combined 150 years of supply-side experience. The company achieved record-high performance in 2021, the most recent operational milestone disclosed, and continues to operate as a going concern with active employment postings.

Name

Ava

Legal name

AVA Companies

Website

https://avapork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

AVA Companies is a family-owned B2B fresh protein processor and distributor serving retail grocery and foodservice customers across the Northeast US from its USDA-inspected, SQF Level II-certified facility in Hicksville, New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Meat Processing and Packaging

NAICS

Meat Processed from Carcasses (311612), Animal Slaughtering and Processing (31161)

SIC

Meat Packing Plants (2011), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Pork Processing & Packing (AFAKALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sausage & Ground Pork Manufacturing (Fresh & Cooked) (AFANABAF), By-Product & Offal Processing (Edibles: Variety Meats) (AFANABAJ), Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon) (AFANABAE)

Keywords

• Fresh meat packaging
• Protein products distribution
• Case ready packaging
• Meat processing services
• Foodservice protein supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Hicksville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Protein Products Sales: B2B sales of fresh pork, beef, and other protein products to retail and foodservice customers. The company produces case ready retail packages and sells program priced merchandise. Revenue is generated through product sales with emphasis on retail support and helping customers drive gross profit.
2. Value Added Processing: Processing services including marinated items, breaded products, and patties with inclusion ingredients such as cheeses and seasonings. Additional revenue from custom processing and packaging capabilities.
3. Foodservice Products: Specialty foodservice products including dry aged beef cuts sold to restaurants and foodservice establishments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AVA Companies (AVA Pork) produces, packages, and distributes fresh and value-added protein products — primarily pork and beef — for retail grocery and foodservice customers from its USDA-inspected Hicksville, NY facility. The company offers case ready retail packages, ground meats, patties, smoked products, marinated and breaded items, variety/offal cuts, and specialty dry-aged beef, supported by just-in-time delivery.

Product overview

AVA (AVA Companies) is a meat and protein products company founded in 1985, operating as a marketplace for fresh quality protein products. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of protein products centered around pork and beef categories, complemented by processed and specialty offerings. The core product portfolio includes fresh Pork and Beef cuts, Grinds (ground meats), Patties (beef patties), Value Added (seasoned/marinated products), Variety/Offal (specialty cuts and organ meats), Smoked products, Program Priced merchandise, and Food Services featuring dry-aged beef. The company operates a state-of-the-art facility in Hicksville, NY with USDA inspection, HACCP and SQF Level 2 certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pork Fresh pork products including assorted chops, belly, ribs, tenderloin, and roasts in various cuts and styles, sold to retail grocery meat departments and foodservice customers.
• Beef Fresh beef products including steaks (strip, rib eye, filet, T-bone, porterhouse), roasts, brisket, stew meat, and ground beef options, sold to retail grocery and foodservice customers.
• Grinds Ground meat products including ground beef at various lean points, ground pork, meatball mix, chili meat, and loaf products, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Patties Beef patties in various configurations including all natural, lean, Angus beef, and slider patties at different fat percentages, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Value Added Seasoned, marinated, and breaded meat products including gluten-free breaded pork chops, Italian seasoned pork chops, teriyaki pork chops, and taco seasoned ground beef, produced as value-added processing for retail and foodservice customers.
• Variety (Offal) Specialty and organ meat products including pork tails, stomachs, skins, hocks, feet, ears, neck bones, marrow bones, beef liver, and ox tails, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Smoked Smoked pork and turkey products including smoked pork hocks, smoked pork neck bones, turkey drums, turkey necks, and turkey wings, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Program Priced Value-priced protein products offered at program-discounted rates for retail customers seeking deal-driven assortment and competitive pricing.
• Food Services (Dry-Aged Beef) Specialty foodservice offerings including dry-aged beef products such as dry-aged strip steak, dry-aged steak loin, dry-aged short loin, and dry-aged rib, sold to restaurants and foodservice establishments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record high performance achieved in 2021

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stampede Meat: Mid-sized case-ready protein supplier offering beef, poultry, and value-added products to retail and foodservice customers across multiple U.S. regions, with similar B2B sales model and packaging capabilities as AVA.
• Wolverine Packing Company: Family-owned case-ready ground beef and protein supplier serving retail and foodservice customers; directly comparable in scale, product mix, and B2B case-ready delivery model.
• Clemens Food Group: Vertically integrated pork processor producing case-ready and value-added pork products for retail and foodservice customers; closely comparable to AVA's pork processing and packaging focus.
• Hatfield Quality Meats: Regional pork processor supplying fresh and value-added pork to retail grocery chains and foodservice operators in the eastern U.S., with comparable case-ready capabilities.
• J&B Group: Mid-sized protein supplier offering case-ready beef, pork, and poultry with value-added capabilities to retail and foodservice; similar scale and product breadth to AVA.

Regional players

• Baldor Specialty Foods: Northeast U.S.-based protein and specialty food distributor serving restaurants and retailers; comparable regional footprint and B2B customer base as AVA, though distribution-led rather than processing-led.
• Empire Kosher: Northeast-based kosher poultry and protein supplier to retail and foodservice; comparable regional Northeastern footprint and B2B protein supply model to AVA.

Emerging players

• Dietz & Watson: Premium prepared meats and deli protein producer serving retail and foodservice; comparable value-added/seasoned product positioning overlapping with AVA's 'Value Added' line.

Broad incumbents

• Tyson Foods: Largest U.S. meat processor with broad portfolio across beef, pork, and prepared foods; relevant as the dominant scaled competitor AVA faces in retail case-ready protein.
• JBS USA: National protein producer with Pilgrim's, Swift, and other retail brands; a key scaled incumbent competitor in the case-ready and value-added protein segments where AVA operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ava-pork-products-inc-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ava