1913 | CASA BORGES
FIRST GENERATION
In 1913, at the age of 32, Mr. João Borges de Sá Carvalho founded Casa Borges – where it all began.
Coming from a very humble family, his father was a tailor and his mother was a housewife, Mr. Borges’s visionary entrepreneurial spirit led him to create a completely revolutionary space for its time.
Already at that time, Borges grocery store and smokehouse had a wide range of products and services: coffee roasting, milling of cereals and bulk sugar, olive oil, telephone, telegrams, fabric by the meter, clogs, crockery, tools, power generators, carbide for oil lamps. An integral part of the business was the local bakery, where they traded corn for bread and ‘broa’ (a type of cornbread made from a mixture of cornmeal and wheat or rye flour). Besides that, it also had a space that was the village tavern, where it was possible to consume the best wines and snacks of the region.
In this convenience store, of course, the sausages could not be absent. These were preserved in wooden-topped granite brine tubs and oil-soaked in clay ewers.
At a time when material goods were the bargaining chip, Casa Borges was a developed trade already in 1913.
SECOND GENERATION
The business continued afterwards by the hands of the sons of Mr. João Borges and Mrs. Maria Alves: Mrs. Gracinda Borges and her husband, Mr. Casimiro. They took care of the business and hired two sales people, who were specialized in sales, to further strengthen retail and provided services.
At Casa Borges, by this time, they already worked with meat, did weekly slaughterings and sold to the public.
THIRD GENERATION
In constant evolution, the meat started to be professionally worked with veterinarian follow-ups and sanitary inspections. Thus, together with the well-known Casa Borges came the opening of a licensed space – the butcher’s shop.
This ‘leap’ was driven by the daughter of Mrs. Gracinda Borges and Mr. Casimiro: Mrs. Fernanda Borges, along with her husband, Mr. Ribeiro. These turned the butcher’s shop into a place seeked by people from various regions of the country. This was the space that led the supply of Ponte de Lima’s houses and restaurants with their well-known fresh meat.
The business areas initially founded by Mr. Borges in 1913 were even more sought after and the home delivery of goods was also introduced.
1993 | FOUNDATION OF MINHOFUMEIRO
FOURTH GENERATION
The grocery store and the butcher’s shop remained prosperous under the management of Mrs. Fernanda’s daughter and Mr. Ribeiro: Mrs. Sílvia Borges and her husband, Mr. Antonio Paulino.
Over time they have specialized Casa Borges in certain products: meat and offal, wines, frozen food and fine groceries – a sort of Portuguese agrifood showroom. In addition, they both refined the art of working meat and outlined a business strategy that would keep pace with the reality of big distribution, so they decided to focus much of their business on sausage and smoked meat production.
Thus, they founded Minhofumeiro, involving the remodelling and expansion of the manufacturing facilities, and the creation of a brand logo that has evolved over the years.
In the 90’s, Minhofumeiro was already a brand with a licensed structure.
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2003 | MODERNIZATION
An investment is made to expand and modernize the manufacturing unit.
2005 | CERTIFICATION
ISO 22000
Minhofumeiro was the sector’s first company in Portugal to obtain this certification.
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2010 | PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHEFS
Edition of cookbooks with some of the most recognized national and international chefs.
2011 | ROSSELKHOZNADZOR LIST
Licensing to export to the Russian market.
2013 | EXPORT TO BRAZIL
Licensing to export to the Brazilian market.
2013 | UPGRADE IN PROMOTION
The products and the brand Minhofumeiro are given a new expression by creating a Mobile Home and a travelling Citröen HY to enter the Street Food market and to be present at various public events, concerts and festivals.
2015 | WALMART
Qualified as suppliers of the largest distribution chain in the world.
2016 | OPENING OF CASA DA TERRA
Opening of Casa da Terra, a space for the promotion and dissemination of traditional Ponte de Lima products.
2017 | CERTIFICATION FSSC 22000
It is conquered the certification considered to be a reference in the Food Business Supply Certification of the responsability of Foundation of Food Safety Certification.
2018 | REBRANDING BRAND MINHOFUMEIRO
As part of a more current brand strategy with national strengthening but also international recognition, the Minhofumeiro brand is submitted to a rebranding.
2020 | MINHOFUMEIRO
Structuring investments that intend to elevate the company to a new level of presence in the national and international market.