Finnebrogue’s acquisition by Sofina Foods Europe in 2025 marked the next chapter in a long-standing partnership, strengthening the end-to-end supply chain from farm to fork and opening access to a wider global footprint.
Ulster Business Magazine spoke to members of Finnebrogue’s senior leadership team about innovation, culture and investment in talent. In particular how a people-first approach has been central to the company’s success – and this is reflected in stories like Joe Stranney’s.
Joining in 2011 for what he thought would be a few months of seasonal work, Joe grew alongside the business, moving through supervisory, operational and supply chain roles to become general manager of the sausage division across two sites. His journey mirrors that of many at Finnebrogue, where promoting from within and developing talent “from the ground up” is a core value.
Now, with Sofina’s international reach, Finnebrogue is poised for even more opportunities.
Pictured are Joe Stranney, General Manager; Melissa Mackey, Head of HR; Declan Ferguson, Group Director Product Development and Innovation.
Full story taken from Ulster Business magazine
After years of expansion, Downpatrick-based Finnebrogue has entered a new era under the ownership of global food giant Sofina, bringing investment, wider global reach and new opportunities for its people, who helped build the business from a family-run firm into a £230m market leader. Ulster Business speaks to some of its leaders about the future.
The journey from small family-owned meat producer to an industry giant with global reach is one which has been led by Finnebrogue’s people.
When the Downpatrick-based company was acquired by Sofina Foods in June, the move marked a milestone in a partnership that had been strengthening for years.
For Declan Ferguson, group director, new product development and innovation, the acquisition represents not a shift in identity, but a natural next step in a long-standing relationship built on aligned values, expertise and shared ambition.
“We’ve been growing for quite a few years, and with the new ownership, Sofina wants to help with that journey,” he tells Ulster Business.
Finnebrogue has grown into a Top 100 company, making a wide range of meat and non-meat products – including branded ranges, such as Naked Bacon, which made without nitrites, and a raft of private label products for our biggest supermarkets.
And as one of the UK’s leading food producers, it’s expanded into a company employing more than 1,450 people, with turnover around £230m.
Sofina has long been one of Finnebrogue’s major suppliers, particularly for pork – much of it sourced locally from Northern Ireland and processed in Cookstown, with further production capacity in the group’s other UK sites.
Bringing the businesses fully together, Declan says, “helps the end-to-end supply chain from farm to fork”.
One of the biggest advantages of becoming part of Sofina is access to a larger market footprint. Finnebrogue’s success has been built on its ability to innovate – from its pioneering nitrite-free bacon and ham to sausages and plant-based ranges – and to respond quickly to changing consumer trends.
“With that whole vertical integration piece, we can play more readily into those retailer relationships,” Declan says.
“We can take them on the full journey with us, thanks to a dedicated supply chain.”
The aim is to deepen partnerships with existing customers while expanding into new product categories, offering products that reflect both evolving consumer expectations and Finnebrogue’s strengths in healthier, additive-free innovation.
And helping to fuel that expansion are the people behind Finnebrogue’s journey – it’s about a commitment to developing people from within.
Melissa Mackey, the company’s head of HR, says the acquisition opens a new frontier for internal talent development.
“It’s really exciting because we now have global mobility where we didn’t have that before,” she says. “It means we can invest more in our people and offer opportunities across the UK and Ireland, and further afield.”
Finnebrogue’s win at the Grocer Gold Awards in 2024 for Employer of the Year was a testament to its people-first strategy. Now, as part of a global organisation, the business also has the chance to influence Sofina’s wider people strategy.
“It’s about showcasing what we’ve built here – the culture, the investment in talent, the way we support people from the ground up.”
And Joe Stranney is a testament to that fostering of talent and ability to develop a strong career through the company.
He’s now general manager of Finnebrogue’s sausage division, across two sites.
His career at Finnebrogue began in 2011 with what he believed would be just a few months of seasonal work.
“I came in September, thinking I’d be away by Christmas,” he says. After the festive season he was asked to stay on in a supervisory role, then moved through a series of increasingly senior operational and supply chain positions.
By 2015, when Finnebrogue moved to its current site, Joe had already stepped into floor management and then into roles that allowed him to understand hygiene, production, operations and supply chain functions. That experience prepared him for his eventual appointment as site manager, followed by his current role leading the sausage division.
Looking back, Joe says he never expected his career to unfold the way it did. “When I came in, I didn’t think I’d be going past Christmas,” he says with a laugh. “We were very small, very family-run. But to go to where we are now, it’s been a really great journey.”
And his story is far from unique within the company. “A lot of people have grown with the business,” Joe says.
Finnebrogue has a clear preference for promoting from within, identifying those ready for the next step and supporting their development. His recent appointment of a new factory manager, Stephen, was another example.
The company is now hoping to leverage Sofina’s international reach, according to Declan Ferguson.
“We see opportunities to produce products for customers we don’t currently trade with,” he says. Its global scale brings access to markets Finnebrogue could not previously reach, allowing the company to bring its specialist expertise.
The move away from ultra-processed foods is reshaping the market, with shoppers increasingly scrutinising ingredient lists and seeking products free from artificial additives.
Finnebrogue, having launched its Naked range in 2018, has been well ahead of the curve. Declan notes that recent EU legislation reducing permitted nitrite levels in bacon and ham “is part of a wider shift” the company anticipated early on.
“There’s a real desire for healthier alternatives,” he says. “People want options that fit their lifestyle, whether that’s low-fat products, nitrite-free bacon, or items that work for both everyday meals and seasonal occasions.”
Looking ahead, Declan sees Finnebrogue maintaining the open-minded, opportunity-led approach that has fuelled its journey.
He says growth will continue to be both driven and organic – shaped by consumer demand, customer needs and the company’s instinct for innovation.
“We’ve grown with a core group of customers,” he says. “We see that trajectory continuing’’.
Finnebrogue’s ambition is to help retailers grow their sales and attract footfall, as well as being able to inspire the end customer.
“It’s about how we excite and delight them,” he says.
“How do we make sure that when they go in to shop every week, that they choose our products?” Whether it’s healthier alternatives or inventive seasonal ranges for Christmas and Easter, the goal is the same – staying relevant, responsive, and ahead of the curve.
Under Sofina’s ownership, Finnebrogue will also operate as part of a wider product portfolio. “We’ll act as one Sofina,” Declan says. “When we talk to customers, yes, we’ll talk about the things Finnebrogue make, such as sausages, burgers, or Christmas products, but we can also talk about pork joints, bacon, and even seafood.”
Bringing these capabilities together strengthens the offer for retailers seeking consistent supply, greater choice and seasonal expertise.
Finnebrogue, however, remains firmly rooted in Northern Ireland. Its sites, people, leadership and values remain the foundation of the business, while Sofina’s investment signals confidence in the region’s capability and potential.
For the senior team and hundreds of colleagues across the company, it’s about a bigger and brighter future as part of a global business, with Finnebrogue at the core.
