With deep sadness, we say farewell to Ernst Christoph Lehmann‑Bärenklau – Chris – a man who, for nearly 25 years, co‑shaped the history of Farm Frites Poland SA.
Chris was part of our company from the very beginning. From 1994 to 2018, he led the Lębork factory, and throughout this time his energy, vision, and determination played a fundamental role in building one of the region’s first foreign manufacturing investments. Under his leadership, Farm Frites Poland developed into a modern organization with an international footprint, working in close cooperation with partners such as McDonald’s, Farm Frites, and Aviko.
Yet for us – the employees – Chris was far more than the President of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer.
He was a leader who stayed close to people. He took a genuine interest in others, remembered small details, and always found time to stop, ask, and truly listen. He possessed a rare kind of charisma – one rooted not in position, but in humanity. He had the ability to make everyone feel valued and appreciated.
His strategic acumen was matched by warmth and kindness. Chris was a mentor and a guide, someone who had a unique ability to bring out the best in others. He believed deeply in people, and his guiding principle – “What we do well, we can do even better – together” – became a lasting source of motivation for the company’s growth and for the development of the entire team.
Chris’s contribution was widely recognized beyond our organization. In 2005, he was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit for his contribution to the social and economic development of Lębork and the wider region. In 2013, he received the prestigious McDonald’s Silver Fox Award, the highest form of recognition for his competence, integrity, and impact on the development of the McDonald’s system. He was also a committed supporter of the Ronald McDonald Foundation, which he supported with great dedication and heart.
After retiring in 2018, Chris remained closely connected to the business – as Global McDonald’s Business Chairman within the Farm Frites Global McTeam, and most recently as an honorary member of the Board.
Until the very end, he remained true to the values he himself had helped to build. To colleagues, he was a respected authority. To partners, a reliable and trusted ally. To many of us, simply a genuinely good person.
Chris’s legacy will forever remain an integral part of Farm Frites Poland.
In these difficult days, our thoughts are with Chris’s family, to whom we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences.
To honour his memory and preserve the shared moments and reflections connected with Chris, a condolence book has been made available: https://ffp.pl/ksiega.php?lang=en
We started our activity in Lębork in 1994. The local climate was favourable for growing potatoes and the soil in the area was classified as, so called, Healthy Potato Zone Class 1. The fact that the town authorities were well-disposed towards such plant location also had a major influence on the decision.
Farm Frites Poland was established in 1993 as a joint venture of two Dutch potato processing producers: Farm Frites and Aviko. A factory was built and a line of French fries initiated in the autumn of 1994, within twelve months of the start of construction.
Initially, FFP employed 80 workers, including a few specialists from Holland who were responsible for implementing the international production standards and for training their Polish successors. The annual potato processing amounted to 40.000 tons.
In July 2004, a new line for potato pancakes was introduced and in July 2011, a new line for potato flakes. At the end of 2023 the second line of French fries was launched. Currently, four modern production lines enable the factory to produce French fries, pancakes and flakes for such clients as: McDonald's, Farm Frites and Aviko.
With our presence on the market for over 30 years, our company still has many new ideas and ventures we hope to embark upon. With the experience and strong technical support we have at hand, and our wonderful workforce, we are confident we will be able to satisfy requirements of the future.
