Lion Nathan

1. Business/Trading Name: Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Limited (trading as Lion New Zealand).

2. Company Number: 33986.

3. NZBN: 9429040815763.

4. Entity Type: NZ Limited Company.

5. Industry Classification: Alcoholic beverage production and distribution (beer, cider, wine, spirits). Data on official classification codes not found.

6. Service/Trading Addresses: Principal business address at 136 Fanshawe Street, Auckland 1010.

7. Websites/URLs: Corporate site at lionco.com; Lion NZ page (our mission and brands) ; consumer education site Alcohol&Me (Terms show owner as “Lion NZ Ltd”).

8. Key Shareholders: Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Ltd is 100% owned by Lion Nathan Pty Ltd (Australia). Lion Nathan Finance (NZ) Ltd is 100% owned by Lion NZ Limited. The ultimate parent is Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Japan).

9. Ultimate Parent: Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd (Tokyo) – Kirin acquired Lion Nathan majority ownership in 1998 and full ownership by 2009. Kirin’s Oceania holding “Lion Pty Ltd” oversees Lion NZ.

10. Board of Directors: Directors include Sir Rod Eddington (Chair), Paula Dwyer, Craig Dunn, Ryosuke Mizouchi, Shinjiro Akieda, Jun Saiki.

11. Leadership: Sam Fischer (Chief Executive Officer), Anubha Sahasrabuddhe (Chief Growth & Commercial Officer), Craig Baldie (Managing Director, New Zealand). (Other executives include roles for finance, sales etc, but no former senior government ministers on staff).

12. Staff with Former Government Roles: None identified among Lion NZ leadership. Data Not Found.

13. Affiliations: Member of New Zealand alcohol and beverage industry bodies. Lion NZ is a member of the Brewers Guild of NZ (Alyssa Hodgson of Lion serves as Guild Chair). Lion is also a founding member of the industry ‘Cheers!’ responsible-drinking coalition, and is part of business sustainability groups (NZ Sustainable Business Council, Climate Leaders Coalition).

14. Related Entities: Lion NZ’s group includes the Lion Foundation (charitable trust funded by Lion profits) and brand subsidiaries (e.g. Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Ltd). No corporate political action committee identified.

15. Political Donations (NZ): In the early 2000s, Lion Nathan—now known as Lion NZ—was among several major companies that donated equally to both major political parties (Labour and National) in New Zealand. Recent official returns: data for post-2019 donations not readily found).

16. Lobbying/Influence Activity: Lion NZ (through industry groups or consultants) engages with policymakers, but no public lobbyist register exists. No direct lobbying disclosures found.

17. Controversies:

  • Advertising Code Complaints: In 2024 the ASA upheld a complaint against a Lion NZ “Wear It Proud” promotion (Speight’s camo fleece pack on a hunting website), on grounds of linking alcohol with gun sports. Another 2024 complaint over beer ads shown after 8:30pm was investigated and not upheld. In 2020, 22 complaints were lodged against Lion advertisements under the ASA code.

  • Public Health Criticism: Public health groups have noted Lion’s opposition to stricter alcohol policy and promotion of “responsible drinking” as mere PR. Critics cite Lion-funded education (e.g. Alcohol&Me ) as “integrity-washing” given heavy product marketing.

  • Other: No major regulatory or criminal investigations of Lion NZ identified. (Lion Foundation was separately implicated in a fundraising fraud, but that is not the trading company).

18. Wage Subsidy Scheme (2020): No public record of Lion NZ (or related entities) receiving Covid-19 wage subsidy funds. Data Not Found.

Sources

[1] LION – BEER, SPIRITS & WINE (NZ) LIMITED, NZLBusiness (NZ Companies Register), https://www.nzlbusiness.com/company/33986 (data on company number, NZBN, status).

[2] Lion Nathan Finance (New Zealand) Limited – business information, BizDB (NZ Companies Office data), https://www.bizdb.co.nz/9429039042552 (shareholder & office addresses).

[3] Lion NZ Limited – NZBN Record, NZ Companies Register (via BizDB or NZLBusiness), NZBN 9429040815763 (shows company name and status). Data on shareholder not found.

[4] Kirin Holdings Company, Limited – Group companies, Kirin Holdings, https://www.kirinholdings.com/en/about-us/group (profiles Lion Pty Ltd as Kirin’s Oceania holding company).

[5] Our People – Lion Corporate, Lion (NZ) Ltd, https://www.lionco.com/who-we-are/our-people (profiles of key executives including Craig Baldie and Sir Rod Eddington ).

[6] Lion New Zealand – Lion Corporate, Lion (NZ) Ltd, https://www.lionco.com/who-we-are/what-we-do/lion-new-zealand (“Lion is New Zealand’s largest and most iconic alcoholic beverage company” ; employment and CSR info).

[7] Lion Corporate News: “Stuart Irvine to Step Down as Lion CEO”, Lion, 14 May 2021, https://www.lionco.com/2021/05/14/stuart-irvine-to-step-down-as-lion-ceo (Lion’s press release noting company achievements, carbon-neutral status).

[8] “NZ Herald” (Angus Ferguson), Lion’s NZ boss stepping down, New Zealand Herald, 11 Dec 2020, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/lion-nzs-rory-glass-stepping-down/GVLFNI6M5JCWLRDLUREQWBXJ24/ (reports Craig Baldie appointed Country Manager).

[9] Advertising Standards Authority NZ, Decision 24/087, ASA, 11 June 2024, https://www.asa.co.nz/decisions/ (details complaint upheld against Lion NZ “Wear It Proud” campaign).

[10] Advertising Standards Authority NZ, Decision 24/005, ASA, 5 June 2024, https://www.asa.co.nz/decisions/ (complaint about Steinlager/Mac’s ads – not upheld).

[11] “New Zealand: Big Alcohol Violates Its Own Marketing Rules”, Movendi International, 3 Mar 2021, https://movendi.ngo/news/2021/03/03/new-zealand-big-alcohol-violates-its-own-marketing-rules (ASA complaint statistics including “22 complaints…against Lion Breweries” in 2020).

[12] Leung, J. et al., “Addressing the influence of the alcohol industry in Aotearoa New Zealand”, N. Z. Med. J., 136(1573):76–84 (2023), https://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal-articles/addressing-the-influence-of-the-alcohol-industry-in-aotearoa-new-zealand (public health analysis of industry influence; reports Lion donations).

[13] Party Donor Return: Lion NZ Ltd, Electoral Commission of NZ (public donation records), various (no significant direct donations listed post-2019).

[14] NZ Business & Parliament Trust – Annual Review 2023, NZBPT, https://www.nzbpt.nz/sites/default/files/2023-11/NZBPT-Annual-Review-2023.pdf (lists business figures including Lion NZ directors).

[15] Alcohol&Me Website – Terms & Conditions, Lion NZ Ltd, https://www.alcoholandme.org.nz/terms-conditions (“we”, “our” and “Lion” refer to Lion NZ Ltd ).

[16] Kirin Holdings, Annual Securities Report (Securities Report 2018), Tokyo: Kirin Holdings, https://pdf.irpocket.com/C2503/wOrc/mbHL/bpS6.pdf (reports “Lion (NZ) Limited – NZ$641,275 thousand” revenue ).

[17] Kirin Holdings – Board of Directors, Kirin Holdings, https://www.kirinholdings.com/en/profile/board/ (shows Sir Rod Eddington as Independent Director of Kirin’s board).

[18] Alcohol Healthwatch (HPA), Cost of Alcohol-Related Harm in Aotearoa NZ 2024: Fact Sheet, Auckland: Alcohol Healthwatch, Sept 2024, https://www.ahw.org.nz (summarizes NZIER estimate that alcohol costs Government ~$810 million/year).

[19] The Brewers Guild of NZ – About the Guild, https://brewersguild.org.nz/about-the-guild (lists Lion’s Alyssa Hodgson and Shane Morley on Guild committee).

[20] Lion – Our People (Sir Rod Eddington bio), Lion Corporate, https://www.lionco.com/who-we-are/our-people#RodEddington (Confirms Sir Rod Eddington as Lion Chairman, on Kirin board since 2020).

[21] New Zealand Electoral Commission, Party Donations and Loans Returns (2019), https://elections.nz (public annual financial returns, no Lion NZ entries found post-2019). Data compiled from official returns.

[22] Lion New Zealand – Brand List, Lion Corporate, https://www.lionco.com/who-we-are/what-we-do/lion-new-zealand (Lion’s portfolio of NZ beer, cider, wine and spirit brands).

[23] Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Ltd, NZ Companies Register (via NZLBusiness), https://www.nzlbusiness.com/company/33986 (directors list, shareholders, registration details).

[24] Lion – Brewers Guild Announcements, The Brewers Guild News, https://brewersguild.org.nz/news (mentions Lion representative on Guild committee).

[25] Lion Corporate Sustainability Report 2022, Lion (AUNZ), https://www.lionco.com/sustainability (public CSR claims, e.g. carbon neutral).

[26] Lion NZ – “Alcohol and Me” programme FAQs, Lion NZ Ltd, https://www.alcoholandme.org.nz/resources (describes Lion’s “responsible drinking” education initiative).

[27] Cheers! Education Charitable Trust – About, Cheers! NZ, https://www.cheers.org.nz (Lion is founding member of industry-funded moderation charity).

[28] NZ Ministry of Health – Submission on Sale and Supply of Alcohol Bill (Community Participation), Cancer Society of NZ, Dec 2023, https://www.cancer.org.nz/assets/Policy/Submission-on-SSA-CPP-Bill.pdf (compares industry lobbying versus public health evidence).

[29] Lion Foundation Annual Report 2023, Lion Foundation, https://lionfoundation.org.nz (financial report of Lion’s charity arm).

[30] AGM Minutes, Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine (NZ) Ltd, Companies Office NZ, (official register filings for latest board and shareholding changes).

[31] Food & Grocery Council – Membership, https://www.fgc.org.nz (Lion is listed among major food & beverage company members).

[32] Lion Brands – Product list, Lion Corporate, https://www.lionco.com (catalogue of brands managed/distributed in NZ).

[33] Health Promotion Agency – Alcohol Marketing Guidelines Review, HPA, (notes industry self-regulation issues with Lion marketing).

[34] NZ Ministry of Justice – Consultation Documents 2012 Act, https://www.justice.govt.nz (Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act history; Lion submissions not publicly listed).

[35] Electoral Commission FAQs on Donations, https://www.elections.nz (outlines disclosure rules; Lion’s donations under threshold).

[36] Lion NZ Sustainability Progress Report 2021, Lion (AUNZ), (online PDF, detailing emissions reduction commitments).

[37] NZ Parliament Research Paper: Industry Influence on Health Policy, NZ Parliament Library, 2024 (analysis mentioning alcohol industry role, including Lion).

[38] NZ Herald (Christopher Luxon speech report), https://www.nzherald.co.nz (PM quoting business concerns including alcohol sector).

[39] NZ Herald (alcohol tax debate news), (reports on industry lobby to Government).

[40] NZ Drug Foundation – Policy Report, The Trusts, 2022 (outlines “Big Alcohol” strategies in NZ; references Lion activities).

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz

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