New England Online > Economy > Major Companies > Red Lion
Red Lion
| Red Lion PLC | |
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| General Information | |
| Type: | Public (NESX: RLI) |
| Founded: | 2016 |
| Location: | Guyra |
| Industry: | Food & Beverages |
| Products: | Beer & Wine |
| Turnover: |  C1.1 billion (2051) |
| Employees: | 5,500 |
| Administration | |
| Chairman: | Sir Lew Haines |
| Chief Executive: | Ian Underwood |
Red Lion PLC is a brewing and distilling company based in Guyra. The company is the largest producer of alcoholic drinks in New England and brews most of the top selling beer, wine and spirit brands in the country.
Founded in 2016 in Glencoe, Red Lion today produces a number of award winning brands such as Lion Draught and Gara Vale Wines. Sir Lew Haines, the current chairman of Red Lion, is the third richest person in New England.
History
Red Lion was founded in 2016 by Alan Haines, the owner of the Red Lion Tavern in Glencoe. Haines hoped to promote a locally made and produced beer for the general public. Between 2016 and 2020, full strength and mid-strength lagers were produced.
Throughout the 2020s, the company continued to grow, and by 2026 it held about 15% of the market. Additional brands were added including Lion Dry and Lion Ale. In late 2026, the company announced it would move from the cramped brewery in Glencoe to the site of the former meat works in Guyra. The moved was completed in early 2031 with the construction of a massive state of the art brewery. This expansion led to another rapid growth in demand, and the market share for Red Lion jumped to 35% by the end of 2032.
In 2041, buoyed by sales, Red Lion purchased the assets of Lion Nathan (a completely separate company based in New Zealand and Australia). The company began to diversify into wine and spirits, purchasing three wineries in Glen Innes and Guyra. The company also acquired the licence to produce a number of international beers, such as Heineken.
In 2045, the company became the major sponsor of the Kennelly Cup competition. Last year, the company announced a net profit of C171 million, which was up from C150 million the year before.
Products
Red Lion produces a range of beer, wine and spirits. The most popular of these are:
Lion Draught - The most popular full-strength beer sold on tap, Lion Draught is the flagship brand of Red Lion. Consisting of 5% alcohol, the brand is most popularly sold in pints. The beer is also available in bottles as well, and sells around 26 million bottles a year. The beer is easily the most popular of any alcoholic beverage in New England, and appeals to people from all walks of life.
Glencoe Lager - A mid-strength beer, Glencoe Lager is second highest selling beer in New England. Available on tap and in bottles, the beer has a alcoholic content of 3.5% and sells 14 million bottles a year. For older people and those with health concerns, Glencoe Lager is a popular choice. It allows drinkers to enjoy a social gathering without the full side affects of full strength alcohol.
Lion Dry - Lion Dry is a crisp dry finish lager. Available on tap and in bottles, Lion Dry is third most popular beer in the Red Lion stable with 9 million bottle sales a year. The dry finish of the lager is achieved by an extended fermentation, ensuring minimal residual fermentable sugars. Wonderful fruity, malty notes accompany a mellow middle palate leaving a clean aftertaste. The the beer has a alcoholic content of 5%.
Lion Ale - A dark or stout beer, Lion Ale is the smallest seller in the Red Lion beer line. Selling only on tap, the beer is particularly popular amongst university students and IT Professionals. Lion Ale sells the equivalent of 3 million pint glasses a year.
Gara Vale Wines - The biggest wine producer in New England, Gara Vale Wines are produced on the large winery of the same name on the outskirts of Armidale. Producing a large range of red and white wines as well as ports, the label is best known for it's red label Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Breweries & Wineries
The company operates two major breweries, a distillery and a winery for the production of beer, wine and spirits in New England.
The largest is the Guyra Brewery located on in the northern suburbs of the city. Employing 2,500 staff, the flagship brands of the company are brewed in Guyra, including Lion Draught and Glencoe Larger. The brewery offers guided tours of the plant six days a week for C5, with free beer tasting available afterwards for adults at the nearby Brewery Hotel.
The Wauchope Brewery & Distillery is the smaller of the two breweries and employs 1,000 people. The brewery produces the two smaller beer labels Lion Ale and Lion Dry as well as the international beers produced under licence. Wauchope is also home to Red Lion's small Rum and Bourbon distilleries.
Wine is produced onsite at the Gara Vale Winery in Thalgarrah. The winery is famous for it Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The winery facilities also include a small hotel which is one of the most popular short-break holiday destinations in the country. The winery employs 250 people.
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