New owner at Finnebrogue

New owner at Finnebrogue

2 July 2025

DOWNPATRICK’S award-winning Finnebrogue food manufacturer has a new owner.

The firm started by the late Denis Lynn in 1991 has been sold in a multi-million pound deal to Sofina Foods, one of Europe and Canada’s leading food companies with a near £3bn turnover.

News of the local firm’s sale was confirmed on Monday with the move described as an “important milestone” in the company’s growth.

Finnebrogue is one of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and employs 1,200 people across four sites on the outskirts of the town.

It produces a wide range of food products, including outdoor-bred pork, sausages, bacon rashers and ham, as well as plant-based alternatives.

Four years ago, Finnebrogue’s founder died in a tragic accident near his home with staff working to continue the legacy he created and the food manufacturer’s reputation for innovation and excellence.

Mr Lynn’s wife Christine broke news of the sale to staff on Monday and said the time had come for her to pass the baton to Sofina Foods, a company she said she knew would uphold her husband’s legacy and “take Finnebrogue to its next chapter”.

Mrs Lynn said her husband’s vision and innovation grew the business into one of the leading food companies in Northern Ireland, creating over 1,200 jobs along the way.

She said following her husband’s untimely death, she has been supported and backed by Finnebrogue’s leadership team which he created and was proud that “Finnebrogue has continued to prosper and grow.”.

An emotional Mrs Lynn said she lost her soulmate, her daughters lost their father and Finnebrogue lost its leader, its visionary and its driving force, but it didn’t lose its heart which staff kept beating.

“The crazy guy who came up with all the best and sometimes worst ideas was gone. I had no idea what to do next, but I knew that I wanted to find ways to honour Denis’s legacy and see the company prosper.

“Finnebrogue needed leadership, needed a food industry innovator, an original thinker with the courage to try anything. Above all, it needed a believer with determination,” she said.

“I am not a business leader or a food industry innovator, but I am a believer. Denis created something very special in this company which has been in our family’s lives since 1991. I desperately wanted his achievements to continue.”

Mrs Lynn said the support, energy, dedication and focus of the company’s senior management was crucial to her and Finnebrogue over the past four years. She said everyone had done her husband proud and helped take the company to greater heights.

Mrs Lynn revealed that her husband had started to envisage the long term future of Finnebrogue and discussed the possibility of selling to a larger company that would respect its values but that could quickly take it to the next level.

She said it had not been an easy decision to sell to Sofina, with the most important goal finding a custodian whom she could pass the baton to.

Mrs Lynn added: “I believe after much soul searching that this is the right decision for the future of Finnebrogue. 

“Sofina is owned by Michael Latifi and I believe he will lead Finnebrogue to greater innovation and commercial success, ensuring the future of your jobs and enhancing the unique reputation you have all helped to build.”

Finnebrogue chairman Roger Burnley said he was delighted the company was joining Sofina Foods Europe and would continue to flourish as part of the Sofina family “who’s purpose-driven values align closely with our own, unlocking new opportunities for our people, our products and our customers”.

Mr Burnley added: “The Lynn family who founded the business 30 years ago have built an extraordinary legacy and I know that they join me in thanking every single one of our fantastic Finnebrogue colleagues, past and present. 

“Now with Sofina’s stewardship, we look forward to watching Finnebrogue go from strength to strength.”

Mr Latifi said the acquisition of the Downpatrick company will allow the global company to continue its journey of “ambitious expansion”.

He added: “We have created a global foundation for continued growth, with a history of excellence in food production and processing spanning over 30 years. 

“Both Sofina Foods and Finnebrogue share a common culture of excellence, discipline and integrity and I look forward to building on the strengths of both companies.”