DOWNPATRICK is in line for a major jobs boost.
Finnebrogue Artisan has this week unveiled plans to create 125 new jobs as part of a £17m investment in an ultra-modern nitrite-free bacon facility.
The news comes just weeks after the firm unveiled details of a £3m investment in a new vegan and vegetarian factory to support 90 jobs.
Already one of the district’s leading employers and widely regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s most innovative food producers, Finnebrogue Artisan’s latest investment is being supported by Invest NI.
The new manufacturing facility is for the production of the company’s nitrite-free bacon, hailed by many experts as a breakthrough in the food processing sector when it was unveiled to wide acclaim in January last year.
The Naked Bacon range is now widely available in leading supermarkets across the UK, with Invest NI offering the Downpatrick company over £1.3m of support towards the capital investment in the new nitrate-free bacon facility.
The 125 new posts are expected to be created by 2022, supporting 30 posts already in place at the ultra-modern plant outside Downpatrick.
Finnebrogue chairman Denis Lynn says it has been known for decades that nitrites used in curing meat can cause cancer.
“That’s why, despite being the UK’s leading top tier sausage maker, we refused to make a single rasher of bacon until we could figure out a way to make it better and safer,” he continued.
“We always set out to make food the best it can be, without being bound by the way it has always been done. And so, after much research, we discovered a process that uses fruit and spice extracts to flavour the pork, keep it pink and retain shelf life.”
Mr Lynn added: “We are using this technology in our Naked Bacon and we’ve had a great response from both retailers and consumers.”
Invest NI’s executive director of business and sector development, Brian Dolaghan, said Northern Ireland’s reputation as a region that produced “innovative, quality food” had been enhanced by the innovation and development of nitrite-free bacon by Finnebrogue.
“The product has been welcomed by top food scientists as a significant advancement in food safety and has already found a market among health conscious consumers,” he continued.
“Agri-food is one of our priority sectors and it is great to see the new facility operational and producing this cutting-edge product. Our support is ensuring Finnebrogue is able to capitalise on its innovation and realise growth.”
Mr Dolaghan added: “The local economy will also benefit from this fantastic food innovation as the 125 new jobs will deliver over £3m to the economy each year in salaries.”
The Downpatrick firm also produces and sells The Good Little Company range of healthy sausages and recently opened a vegetarian factory producing innovative, meat-free meal options.
Finnebrogue Artisan is regarded as one of the fastest growing food manufacturers in the UK with its turnover increasing from £5m to over £90m per year over the past ten years.
The company says that following Invest NI’s support, it anticipates that sales of Naked Bacon will add £23m to its turnover by 2022.
Invest NI has offered Finnebrogue Artisan an employment grant of £625,000 and a capital grant of £710,350 to boost its latest investment programme.