BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The owner of Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q is opening a pork processing facility in Eva, Ala., that will supply meat to the chain’s restaurants, according to local news reports.

The plant will start processing hogs in mid-July. Co-founder, Nick Pihakis is recruiting producer-partners to raise the hogs. Currently, Pihakis has recruited five farmers and has 75 hogs. Pihakis said he hopes to have within the next five years 40 farms raising 400 hogs annually. The hogs will be a heritage breed that is a cross between the Berkshire pig, and a Mangalitsa, which are wooly.

Pihakis, who founded the chain with his father, Jim Pihakis, in 1985, said he made the move to pork processing to save money and improve quality control. Jim ‘N Nick’s has 29 locations throughout the Southeast and in Colorado.