Denis Lynn – innovation was at heart of his success

Denis Lynn – innovation was at heart of his success

5 May 2021

EXPELLED from a Belfast grammar school at the age of 15, few would have predicted that Denis Lynn would become a world-class food producer, comfortably rubbing shoulders with Prince Charles. 

The pair talked authoritatively about sustainable farming practices and food processing techniques when the heir to the throne visited Finnebrogue Artisan’s factory in Down Industrial Estate in Downpatrick in May 2019.

Mr Lynn was eager to show the environmentally conscious Royal his new recyclable packaging for sausages that Finnebrogue produce for Marks and Spencer.

It was a far cry from when, as an indefatigable younger man, he started off his career by selling pizzas and pies from the back of a van.

Always one to spot an opportunity before others, in 1985 Mr Lynn discovered a new chip, the Lord Fry, and began to sell them direct to takeaway shops across Northern Ireland, becoming the biggest seller of the chips in Europe.

His business rationale was to make any product better than anyone else around, including the humble chip or sausage.

He started off a second career and passion for farming when he bought Finnebrogue Estate just outside Downpatrick in 1991.

He reared beef and welcomed red deer back to the estate and began to appreciate quality meat  and venison and the husbandry skills involved in creating a superior eating product.

He soon began to supply meat and venison to top-end restaurants and hotels throughout the UK, including Heston Blumenthal’s famous Fat Duck restaurant.

Mr Lynn decided to elevate the sausage and his venison and pork sausages found a new discerning market; other major retailers soon began to ask Finnebrogue to supply direct to them — M&S’s posh dog products is one of them from 2013.

Concerned by the additives in bacon and bemoaning the decline in a quality product, Mr Lynn was behind the creation of a nitrate-free bacon, Naked Bacon, in 2017 which found favour with the healthy-eating customer.

Other products, such as hamburgers and artisan sausages for Asda, rolled out from Downpatrick as Finnebrogue opened more producing sites and employed more people.

Awards, accolades and prominence ensued as Mr Lynn became a spokesperson for Northern Ireland food producers. 

While lobbying politicians became part and parcel of his job, innovation was at the heart of his success and he was named by the Institute of Directors as the UK’s most innovative director in 2018.

Now moving into making plant-based vegan and vegetarians products, Finnebrogue had a £142m turnover for the 18 months ending February last year. It employs 1,000 people across four factories in the Downpatrick area and has put the town on the map for food production.

The former Belfast boy made his home on the Finnebrogue estate. A down-to-earth, affable man, Mr Lynn’s enthusiasm for making the best products never wained.

Mr Lynn was known and respected for his generous support of local charitable initiatives.

The sudden death of the husband, father and grandfather leaves a huge void for his family and company, but also for the wider community.