Lion NZ celebrates 100 years

Lion New Zealand is celebrating its origins as New Zealand Breweries a century ago.

It says that the formation of New Zealand Breweries in 1923 stands as a significant milestone in New Zealand’s corporate and brewing history and created a nationwide entity that would become a household name and achieve international success.

Lion made the decision to delay its 100-year celebrations to 2024 as it completed a supply chain transformation project in the latter half of 2023.

Lion New Zealand’s Managing Director Craig Baldie said, “Lion is one the original Kiwi success stories and the company as we know it today began with ten of the nation’s largest breweries coming together to form New Zealand Breweries in 1923. Through the amalgamation, shares were made available to the public, and Kiwis had the opportunity to invest in the success of the brewing industry. There was a movement around the time that wanted to make beer illegal, and the investment opportunity proved that most Kiwis didn’t in fact support prohibition.

“Orchestrated by Sir Alfred Bankhart, of Campbell & Ehrenfried, the proposal brought together breweries in Christchurch, Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Wellington, Gisborne and Auckland, including the original ‘Lion’ and Captain Cook breweries on Khyber Pass Road, and Speight’s, which is the only brewery of the original ten still operating.”

New Zealand Breweries officially took on the name Lion Breweries in 1977, and today Lion operates across New Zealand, Australia and U.S.A, with the New Zealand Business operating as a subsidiary of Lion.

Lion has brewed a commemorative, limited-edition Pale Ale (not available for sale) to celebrate its 100-year milestone.