Elżbieta Szymańska

FUNCTIONING OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF PORK IN POLAND

The supply chain is a network of suppliers and customers offering their products or services to the end consumers. The research aimed at recognizing the elements of the supply chain of pork in the area of supply, processing and distribution. The information was primarily sourced by the data storage statistics and chosen meat companies listed among the 2000 largest industries in Poland. The domestic supply chain of pork is characterized by a considerable fragmentation of production, processing and distribution. A signifi cant number of entities and the absence of capital tie-ups between the breeders and the meat industry does not foster durable integration. In order to maintain the profi tability of production, the meat establishments diversify their activities. Entities with large production volume more often cooperate with commercial networks, whereas in case of the smaller ones, these are their own distribution networks that prevail. The leaders in the industry are characterized by a wide range of goods, large-scale production, specialization and a closer integration in the supply chain.