On Four Pillars's official history page, Lion Pty Ltd is mentioned 0 times. The brand tells a story of Australian origin while the corporate reality is carefully omitted.
Four Pillars was founded in 2013 in Healesville, Victoria by Cameron Mackenzie, Matt Jones, and Stuart Gregor — three mates with backgrounds in wine, drinks media, and brand building. It rapidly became Australia's most awarded gin, winning countless international accolades and building a devoted following through its Yarra Valley distillery door. In 2019, Lion (owned by Japanese beverage giant Kirin) acquired a 50% stake, with the founders retaining operational control and the other half. The founders remain front and centre in all marketing, though the brand is now half-owned by one of Asia's largest brewing conglomerates.
The website reads like a love letter to craft distilling and founder stories, with no mention of Lion or Kirin's significant ownership stake. While the founders genuinely still run operations, consumers would need to read trade press to discover that half their purchase flows to a Japanese multinational.
Approximately 50% of Four Pillars' profits flow to Lion Pty Ltd, which is wholly owned by Kirin Holdings in Japan. The remaining profits stay with the Australian founders. Every bottle sold partially benefits Kirin's Tokyo shareholders.
Buying Four Pillars supports a hybrid model — some profits stay local with the founders, but a substantial portion exits to Japan. If supporting fully independent Australian distilling matters to you, this is only a half-measure.
For genuinely independent Australian craft gin, try Archie Rose (Sydney, independently owned), Never Never Distilling Co (South Australia, independent), or Patient Wolf (Melbourne, independent). All produce excellent gins without multinational shareholders.