Four Pillars Gin sells 50% stake to Lion

Australasian food and beverage marketing company Lion has acquired a 50% stake in Australian brand Four Pillars Gin for an undisclosed sum.

Four Pillars Gin has sold a 50% stake to Lion

Stuart Gregor, Cameron Mackenzie and Matt Jones, who founded Four Pillars in 2013, hope the investment from Lion will help the brand realise its global ambitions.

Gregor said: “The partnership with Lion really is a ripper for us. It would not be untrue to say that more than a few organisations have shown an interest in us over the past 18 months and Lion just felt the best.

“We like their focus on craft and we like the fact we will be their first and most important craft spirit brand. We have a terrific relationship with the senior management at Lion and reckon this is the start of a really exciting new chapter for our business.”

Lion’s portfolio includes James Squire and Malt Shovel, Little Creatures, Kosciuszko, and Furphy, among others. It is part of Lion Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kirin Holdings.

Vanguard Luxury Brands has been the domestic distributor of Four Pillars since 2013, and the companies confirmed the same team will continue to sell Four Pillars to bars, retailers, restaurants and pubs across Australia.

In December last year, Four Pillars brought former Diageo on-trade head Tom Appleton on board as regional trade director.

Later that month, the brand launched its first brand campaign film, a “Wes Anderson-style” introduction to the brand’s signature G&T.