An artisan food producer in the North that supplies venison to one of the UK's restaurants with three Michelin stars plans to create 65 jobs in Downpatrick as part of a £3 million expansion.

Finnebrogue, which specialises in Oisin venison – venison exclusively from stock aged between nine and 21 months – and award-winning organic sausages, wants to double its sales outside of Northern Ireland this year.

The company, which is based at the Finnebrogue Estate in Downpatrick, counts celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal among its top customers.

Finnebrogue has supplied the chef with cuts of saddle for his acclaimed Berkshire restaurant, The Fat Duck, since 2008.

The company, which employs 115 people, is also a major supplier to Marks & Spencer.

“Over the past three years, we’ve achieved annual growth of around 30 per cent,” said owner David Lynn. Although the company’s main focus will remain the market in Britain, he says it now plans to invest in new facilities and marketing activities.

Finnebrogue will receive financial assistance of £227,000 from Invest NI’s Jobs Fund towards the project.

FRANCESS McDONNELL