The primary objective of this thesis is to identify strategic and operational solutions to restore profitability for a family-owned swine slaughterhouse operating within the Italian pork industry. The sector is weighed down by rising operating costs that cannot be proportionally transferred to prices, in a market where demand is steadily weakening, mainly due to health and environmental concerns, as well as increasing difficulty competing with foreign producers whose structurally lower prices place additional pressure on the market. As a result, margins are increasingly compressed toward break even levels. To contextualize these challenges, the research first examines major shifts in dietary patterns and the broader evolution of meat consumption.