Honesty Foods -Goa’s largest supplier of premium meats and cold cuts.

Goa's Hoteliers make a beeline for 'Honesty Foods'

Honesty Foods Goa, based in Siolim, is Goa’s largest supplier of premium meats and cold cuts. It was officially launched in Goa on June 17, 2021. They are the sole distributors for the entire North Goa and South Goa region. They do both, retail as well as wholesale distribution of these meat products. Their parent company, Mayur Piggery Farms, is based in Pune. It was set up by Mr. Balasaheb Jadhav in 1978. Pork and poultry are their mainstay and since these animals are raised in their own farms spread across Pune, the company can confidently vouch for the quality of their 'farm-to-the-table' products. The products which they offer include Pork Sausages, Ham, Salami, Bacon, Pepperoni, Frankfurters, Pork Chops, Pork Shoulder, Pork Belly, Pork Spareribs, Duck, Smoked Ham Leg, etc.

The factory-cum-distribution outlet of Honesty Foods is located in Siolim in North Goa. The factory has a state-of-the-art cold room to ensure that all their products are maintained at -18 degrees centigrade, round the clock. They also have a reefer (refrigerated) van to ensure that their products are delivered across Goa in sub-zero temperatures to adhere to the highest standards of quality.

Honesty Foods offers home delivery of its products all across Goa on all orders above Rs. 2,000. Customers can places their orders online 24/7 by visiting their website www.honestyfoodsgoa.com and can pay either using GPay, Paytm, Phonepe and 150+ UPI apps or by cash.

At the helm of affairs of Honesty Foods Goa is its founder, Mr. Craig Fernandes. Craig’s entrepreneurial streak actually started right from his days at high school. During those days, he used to organise book exhibitions in various schools in Mumbai to earn some pocket money. He went on to complete his diploma in electronics, but had an intense desire to see the world. Hence, he joined the Merchant Navy and the rest, as they say, is history.

“Honesty Foods Goa is very close to my heart”, says Craig. “My mom is an amazing cook. So, I grew up tasting the choicest of meats. Also, being an officer in the Merchant Navy for almost a decade, I have travelled the world, and have therefore got a chance to try out a variety of cuisines”, he says. Craig quit the Merchant Navy in 2007 to set up his hospitality business, “Dreamhome Relocations” in Mumbai.

Always ready for gastronomic adventures, he also helped set up and manage three well-known restaurants in Mumbai at various points in time. “We specialised in steaks, spareribs, pulled pork, etc. That's how I got to learn first-hand about various types of pork meats and developed a keen interest in the industry. I am also a certified HACCP holder and therefore, food safety is topmost on my priority list”, he says.

In 2020, Craig had to close down his hospitality business due to the Covid-induced lockdown. He then moved to Goa and launched Honesty Foods in Goa after realising that there was a dire need to provide hygienically cut and packaged pork meat to people. Unsafe handling of meat is very rampant in unregulated pork shops in Goa. That was the underlying thought which led him to start Honesty Foods in Goa.

Honesty Foods Goa has made a name for itself within just one year of its inception due to its excellent quality of meats and prompt service. Craig proudly states that most of the hotels in Goa that offer pork dishes source their pork meat requirements from Honesty Foods. “This is not only because of the excellent quality of products that Honesty Foods offers, but also because all our products come with the required licences like FSSAI, HACCP, HALAL, APEDA etc., which can help in tracing the products right to its origins”, he says.

As of now, Craig has a 10-member team at his distribution-cum-factory outlet in Siolim. One major challenge which he faced initially and continues to face even today is that of skilled manpower. His idea is to provide employment to the locals, to give back to the community by empowering them to become sub-sellers, working from the comfort of their homes without any investment. Craig appeals to homemakers, unemployed youth and anybody with a passion to excel, to connect with Honesty Foods for entrepreneurial opportunities. “This is one of the reasons why I came back to my roots even though I was born and brought up in Mumbai”, he says. “I want to dispel the notion that there are no job opportunities for Goans in Goa. If one is prepared to work hard, nobody can stop their progress”, he says. In the next five years, Craig aims to expand his business by opening franchises of Honesty Foods, not just across Goa, but also in Karnataka and other states in South India.

Craig says that his family has been his greatest source of strength and support throughout the course of his journey. “Like me, my kids love the products offered by Honesty Foods and are the best brand ambassadors one can ask for”, he says. “A large chunk of my success today is also because of my wife, who pushed me to start Honesty Foods. She had the unshakeable faith that I could make this venture a great success. Today, my chest swells with pride when my mom and dad proudly declare how their son has made it big in Goa”,he adds.

When asked what message he would like to share with all Goans, this is what he had to say: “No dream is too big to achieve. Guts and glory go hand in hand”.

For more information, about Honesty Foods Goa, visit www.honestyfoodsgoa.com