Northern Irish food entrepreneur in Grocer Gold Awards

Denis Lynn, chairman of Finnebrogue Artisan in Northern Ireland, has been shortlisted in The Grocer Gold Awards in the Entrepreneur of the Year category.

The prestigious awards will be presented at a gala event in the Guildhall in London in June, an event hosted by comedian Rory Bremner.

The Grocer Gold Awards celebrates and recognise the very best standards in grocery retail, and rewards only the highest levels of service, initiative and commitment in the FMCG sector.

Mr Lynn launched Lynn's Country Foods, the holding company of Finnebrogue Artisan, in Downpatrick in 1985 and recently achieved recognition for the successful launch of the Naked brand of nitrite-free bacon, ham and pork sausages as part of a longstanding commitment to product innovation.

In addition, Finnebrogue, now operating from £25 million state-of-the-art production plant, has become a UK leader in the production of its own branded sausages and those of major retailers including Marks and Spencer.

The company has also pioneered the development of flexitarian products for diet conscious consumers wishing in particular to reduce overall meat consumption. Finnebrogue, furthermore, has a strong commitment to animal welfare, the environment including waste reduction and supports developing world initiatives.

Finnebrogue Artisan is fundamentally a customer-focused business that's geared to respond quickly and effectively to the requirements of retailers and the wider marketplace.

Mr Lynn is shortlisted with several other leading UK entrepreneurs including Martin Thatcher of Thatcher Cider and Steve Perez of Global Brands.