County Down food producer’s sales soar as company secures Asda Christmas food deal

Caroline Rainey — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 09:51:11 +0000

County Down food producer, Lynn’s Country Foods has reported that sales in the year to February 2023 soared by 22%, from £119.3 million to £145.3 million.

Based in Downpatrick, it is the parent company of artisan food manufacturer, Finnebrogue, and is a major supplier to many of the top supermarkets across the UK.

According to the accounts, filed at Companies House, gross margin fell from 25.9% to 24.7%.

The company has Standard Pig Price (SPP) agreements with all its major customers, whereby selling prices vary in line with SPP market movements. The average SPP for the year ending February 2023 was higher than SPP for the year ending February 2022, which the company said was a “contributing factor” to the increase in the year-on-year sales (£) and the decrease in the year-on-year GP%.

Lynn’s Country Foods is under the ultimate control of director and majority shareholder, Christine Lynn, whose husband and founder of the company, Denis Lynn, died tragically in a quad bike accident in May 2021.

News of the increase in sales comes as Finnebrogue announced its exclusive range for Asda, which features 10 new Christmas products and will be available across the retailer’s stores in the UK.

This brings the total number of listings for the company to 36, across fresh meat, meat-free, chilled, frozen meat, and party food.

‘SHOPPERS DELIGHTED’

Finnebrogue’s relationship with Asda began in 2014, when the company secured the business to produce Extra Special Gluten-Free sausages. Now Finnebrogue supplies all Asda own-label gluten free sausages, including Just Essentials, Asda Brand, and Extra Special, three Asda Brand nitrite-free bacon products, a selection of Plant Based by Asda & OMV! Meat-Free products, as well as a selection of fresh and frozen Christmas lines.

Barbara Mullan, Product Developer at Finnebrogue said: “We are over the moon to work with Asda once again to launch 10 new products into stores in the lead up to Christmas. The range of seasonal lines caters for all occasions during the festive period.

“We also created a large selection of vegan and meat-free lines, catering for those who want to try something different this Christmas and for people who are reducing their meat consumption. We know the Vegan Roast Dinner for one will be a welcome addition to those catering for only one meat-free diner at the table.”

Cathy Elliot, Asda’s Buying Manager for NI Local added: “We’ve worked with the Finnebrogue team for almost 10 years now, and we are thrilled to see an extension of its Christmas products launched into stores, with 10 new lines available in the run up to the festive season.

“Our shoppers will be delighted with the addition of these new options for Christmas, bringing locally sourced products to the dinner table at this special time of year.”

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Owen Paterson quits as MP over lobbying row

Linda Stewart — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:18:20 +0000

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson has resigned as an MP after a row over his conduct led to a government U-turn.

The Conservative MP was found to have broken lobbying rules and was facing suspension, until fellow Conservative MPs blocked the process by calling for an overhaul of the MPs’ standards watchdog instead.

While initially supporting the move, Downing Street made a U-turn following a backlash.

Mr Paterson said he now wants a life “outside the cruel world of politics”. The 65-year-old, who has represented North Shropshire since 1997, said the past two years had been “an indescribable nightmare for my family and me”.

He said his integrity had been “repeatedly and publicly questioned”, and claimed he was “totally innocent” of breaking lobbying rules.

The Commons Standards Committee concluded last week that Mr Paterson had misused his position as an MP to benefit two Northern Ireland firms he worked for – clinical diagnostics company Randox and meat distributor Lynn’s Country Foods – after a damning report on his behaviour by standards commissioner Kathryn Stone.

The Committee had recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 30 sitting days – a sanction that could also lead to a recall petition in his constituency, and the possibility of him facing a by-election.

Mr Paterson has been a paid consultant for clinical diagnostics company Randox since 2015 and to meat distributor Lynn’s Country Foods since 2016, earning a total of £100,000 a year on top of his MP’s salary.

While MPs are allowed to have these jobs, they are not allowed to be paid advocates using their influence in Whitehall for the company’s gain.

The Committee concluded that Mr Paterson had breached this rule on paid advocacy by making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk; making seven approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Lynn’s Country Foods; and making four approaches to Ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology.

Mr Paterson was also found to have broken conduct rules by failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn’s Country Foods in four emails to officials at the Food Standards Agency; using his parliamentary office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his clients; and in sending two letters relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper.

Mr Paterson said it was a painful decision to resign but “the right one”.

He said the past few days had been intolerable, claiming he had seen people – including MPs – “publicly mock and deride” the death of his wife Rose, who took her own life last year.

In a statement he said: “My children have therefore asked me to leave politics altogether, for my sake as well as theirs.

“I agree with them. I do not want my wife’s memory and reputation to become a political football.

“Above all, I always put my family first.”

His resignation means there will soon be a by-election for his seat.

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County Down food producer’s sales soar as company secures Asda Christmas food deal

Owen Paterson quits as MP over lobbying row