Mark and Mike Malbon grew up on a large hog farm in the Virginia Beach, Virginia, area. “We were sending 100,000 hogs a year to market. At one time we had more hogs than residents in Virginia Beach,” Mark Malbon said. “It was the largest hog farm this side of the Mississippi.”

The brothers eventually transitioned to the convenience store business, bringing their experience with whole hog catering (when the entire hog is cooked at once) with them. Their property, which they built in 1995, is named Malbon Bros. BBQ and sells gas, convenience store staples and plenty of barbecue.

As the food business grew, customers wanted the whole hog experience brought to them at weddings, family gatherings and more. The Malbon brothers gave the people what they wanted and a lucrative outside catering business grew out of the c-store.

The brothers have it down to a succulent science. “We do them in hog cookers with propane,” Malbon said. “The cooker is like an old oil drum and we cut it in half, put hinges on it, and add axles and a tongue so it can be attached to a truck and hauled to events. We can cook a 200-pound hog in eight hours.” The brothers also outfitted one of their cookers with wood boxes to offer smoked barbecue.

“When you lift the lid, it’s got a rack and you lay the hog in there, close the lid and light it,” he explained. “Some people cook hogs belly down. We cook them back down; it holds the grease and keeps it moist.”

In their stores, the grab-and-go box has become a customer favorite, Malbon said. “We’ve got barbecued chicken, brisket and ribs.” In addition, Malbon Bros. offers a meal that consists of a pound of barbecue, a half pound of coleslaw and four ounces of sauce. “We figure it will make three to four sandwiches,” Malbon said.

To continue reading, check out “Hog Wild” in the March 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.