Canadian company in talks to revive Lion Beer

It is among one of India’s most-recalled alcoholic beverages of yesteryear. Lion Beer, being brewed by Mohan Meakin, Asia’s oldest, is set to get a fresh makeover that can take it on to a global stage.

Canada’s International Breweries Pte Ltd (IBPL) is likely to revive ‘Lion’, which Mohan Meakin still brews in a small quantity and sells in a few of the country’s defence canteen outlets.

IBPL executive director Peter S Harvey said on Friday that ‘Lion’ still had “immense” value and a “good” recall. “We have had a long association with Mohan Meakin on the matter. They were our brewers during the early 2000s in India,” Harvey told Business Standard.

He said his company was in various stages of discussions with Mohan Meakin management on ways to revive the Lion brand and market it in a few global locations to start with. “We will also be interested to buy out Lion if its management is willing to sell it,” he added.

Mohan Meakin, in addition to this brand, owns another major brand in the spirits segment, Old Monk. That is among the country’s top three selling rums.

The 1994-founded IBPL is a Canadian-owned brewer, producing and marketing high-quality beers worldwide. It has grown considerably in size and product portfolio since its inception. In India, the company has worked over the years to improve the production quality of beer produced with its local partners, including Khodays Breweries.

In addition to brewing the deal with Mohan Meakin, IBPL is also working aggressively to expand its market in India for its three beer brands. It is closing in on an major acquisition of a brewery for as much as Rs 100 crore.

“As of now,” said Harvey, “we brew beer at Khodays Breweries and plan to move the beer to other markets such as Pondicherry, Goa and Tamil Nadu. As we expand we will acquire a brewery which will have a capacity to brew as much as two million cases on an annual basis.”

IBPL will also “like to be present in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh over the next 18-20 months”, he added.