If I were a pig destined to be butchered, I’d consider myself lucky to be a COPPA pig.

COPPA Artisan Cured Meat, slated to open a storefront in the fall, kills and cures only local pigs that have been treated humanely, and raised in a sustainable environment without the use of hormones or antibiotics.

Chef Bruce Wieszala, the man behind the charcuterie and butchery plan, has been butchering whole animals and producing cured meat products for five years. He’s also a 13-year veteran of the Buffalo food scene, having worked in some of Western New York’s most celebrated restaurants.

Wieszala told Buffalo Rising that the storefront, located at 425 Elmwood Ave., will serve sandwiches at lunchtime and specialty items. He’ll also be offering internships to culinary students.

According to COPPA’s Facebook page, the store will offer the following items:

” ... prosciutto, jamon, capicola, pancetta, bacon, sopressata, finocchiona, lardo, coppa di testa, porchetta di testa, guanciale, bresaola, duck prosciutto, duck confit, pâtés, terrines, meat and poultry stocks, brines and specialty accompaniments.”

COPPA is looking for financial help from supporters. Wieszala set up a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $25,000 by Aug. 12. To learn more about this campaign, visit the Kickstarter page and watch the video below:

I’m not a pork-eater, but I’m glad to see the local food movement growing in the Queen City. Personally, many of my criticisms of meat-eating stem from the knowledge that slaughtered animals were pumped full of hormones, stuffed in cages and their carcasses preserved in some sloppy mess of toxins. While I’m not sure I will be sampling the capicola at COPPA, I say kudos to Wieszala for his intelligent approach to preparing meats.