Lexi Webster
Little Creatures Brewing Company, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, was established in 2000. It is well-known for introducing the American Pale Ale style to Australia and has since achieved national success and won several awards. In 2012, the company was bought by Lion Nathan, a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company. So, is Little Creatures Australian-owned?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Year established | 2000 |
| Founders | Howard Cearns, Nic Trimboli, Phil Sexton |
| Current owner | Lion Nathan |
| Former owner | Little World Beverages |
| Former owner's parent company | Kirin Company |
| Former owner's founder | Howard Cearns |
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What You'll Learn
- Little Creatures Brewery is owned by Little World Beverages
- Little Creatures was established in Fremantle, Western Australia, in 2000
- The company was bought by Lion Nathan in 2012
- The founders of Little Creatures sold the company for $381.6 million
- Little Creatures is a subsidiary of the Japanese firm, Kirin Company
Little Creatures Brewery is owned by Little World Beverages
Little Creatures Brewery has achieved national success and recognition for its beers, which have won several awards. In 2002, it was named Champion Australian Brewery, and its Pale Ale was crowned Champion Ale. The brewery has also won awards from Choice magazine and BBC Good Food. Little Creatures introduced the American Pale Ale style to Australia and has since expanded its operations, establishing additional breweries in Victoria and gaining international recognition.
The success of Little Creatures has been attributed to its unwavering focus on product quality and a unique style of beer. The founders believed in their product from the beginning and took a hands-on approach to selling it, which helped build momentum for the brand. Cearns has also emphasized the importance of the people involved in the business, describing a culture of "substance over style" and an honest and humble approach to brewing.
In 2012, the founders of Little Creatures agreed to sell the parent company, Little World Beverages, to Lion in a deal valued at $256 million. This decision was made to expand the brand globally and take it to the next level on the national and international stage. The sale resulted in a significant financial reward for the founders and shareholders, with Lion recognizing the contributions of Little World Beverages' founders and management team in building Little Creatures into a leading Australian craft beer brand.
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Little Creatures was established in Fremantle, Western Australia, in 2000
Little Creatures Brewing Company was established in Fremantle, Western Australia, in 2000. It is a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company, owned by Little World Beverages, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lion, itself owned by Kirin.
The brewery was founded by Howard Cearns, a marketing specialist, Nic Trimboli, a restaurateur, and Phil Sexton, a master brewer. All three had previously worked with Matilda Bay Brewing Company. In 1997, the trio discussed the possibility of brewing an American-style India Pale Ale. The name "Little Creatures" was inspired by a Talking Heads song lyric, referring to the live yeast cells used in fermentation.
Little Creatures released its first beer, Little Creatures Pale Ale, in 2000, and the company quickly gained national success. The brewery has since won numerous awards, including Champion Australian Brewery in 2002, and its beers are regularly featured in the annual GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of the Year event.
In 2008, Little Creatures established a second brewery in Healesville, Victoria, and in 2012, it was bought by Lion Nathan. The company continued to expand, opening another brewery in Geelong, Victoria, in 2013, with a reported brewing capacity of "10 million litres [2.6 million US gallons] a year, or 80 kegs an hour."
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The company was bought by Lion Nathan in 2012
Little Creatures Brewing Company, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, was established in 2000. The company was founded by Howard Cearns, a marketing specialist, Nic Trimboli, a restaurateur, and Phil Sexton, a master brewer. All three had previously worked with Matilda Bay Brewing Company. In 2012, the company was bought by Lion Nathan, a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company.
The sale of Little Creatures to Lion Nathan was a significant event in the Australian craft beer industry. Little Creatures, which started as a boutique brewery, had achieved national success and built a strong reputation for its unique beers. The company's founders, including Howard Cearns, Nic Trimboli, and Adrian Fini, netted a substantial windfall from the sale, with each standing to pocket millions of dollars. The sale price reflected the value of the company, which was estimated at $381.6 million.
Howard Cearns, one of the key figures behind Little Creatures, expressed mixed emotions about the sale. While he acknowledged the financial rewards for the shareholders, he also shared a sense of sadness about relinquishing control of the company they had built. Cearns attributed the success of Little Creatures to its unwavering focus on product quality and a unique culture within the organisation. He emphasised that the company operated as a small business rather than a corporate entity, prioritising substance over style and honest values.
The acquisition by Lion Nathan was part of its strategy to expand the Little Creatures brand globally. Lion Nathan recognised the potential to take the craft beer brand to new heights, both nationally and internationally. This expansion aligned with the founders' vision of bringing their unique beer to a wider audience, which they had struggled to achieve independently. The deal provided the necessary resources and distribution networks to increase the reach of Little Creatures beers.
The purchase of Little Creatures by Lion Nathan marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the craft beer brand. With new ownership, Little Creatures gained access to additional resources and expertise, enabling it to expand its distribution and enhance its presence in the competitive beer market. The founders' commitment to quality and unique culture laid a strong foundation for the company's future growth, ensuring that Little Creatures beers would continue to be enjoyed by consumers across Australia and beyond.
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The founders of Little Creatures sold the company for $381.6 million
Little Creatures is a brewery based in Fremantle, Western Australia, that was founded in 2000. It is owned by Little World Beverages, a subsidiary of Lion, which is itself owned by the Japanese firm Kirin.
In 2012, the founders of Little Creatures agreed to sell the company for $381.6 million. Specifically, four directors and original backers of the boutique brewery sold parent company Little World Beverages to Lion, which already owned 36% of the company. The deal was a 39.8% premium on Little World Beverage's pre-announcement trading price of $3.79 per share, with Lion offering $5.30 per share. This amounted to a massive pay day for the founders, who collectively received around $115 million. Howard Cearns, one of the founders and directors of Little World Beverages, earned $21.7 million from the sale, while fellow founders Nic Trimboli and Adrian Fini took home $31.3 million and $56 million, respectively.
The sale of Little Creatures was a result of the company's desire to expand the brand globally. According to Mr Cearns, the deal was about "taking the company to another level on a national and international stage", something that the founders felt they couldn't achieve on their own. Despite the successful sale, Mr Cearns expressed a sense of sadness at relinquishing control, stating that while there were happy shareholders, some would have preferred for the company to continue as it was.
The success of Little Creatures and its appeal to Lion can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the founders had an unwavering belief in their product, introducing the American Pale Ale style to Australia. They focused on product quality, substance over style, and a down-to-earth culture within the organisation. Additionally, they took a unique approach to marketing, emphasising product, culture, and community rather than traditional marketing tools. This strategy, combined with a talented group of people running the business, contributed to the company's national success and its eventual acquisition by Lion.
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Little Creatures is a subsidiary of the Japanese firm, Kirin Company
Little Creatures is a brewery based in Fremantle, Western Australia, operating as a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company. It was established in 2000 by the original brewers of Matilda Bay Brewing Company. The name Little Creatures was inspired by a song lyric from the Talking Heads' album of the same name and refers to the live yeast cells that turn malt wort sugars into ethanol. The brewery's first beer, Little Creatures Pale Ale, was released in 2000. In 2008, a second brewery was established in Healesville, Victoria, followed by another in Geelong, Victoria, in 2013.
Little Creatures is owned by Little World Beverages, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lion, which is itself a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kirin. In 2012, Kirin's subsidiary Lion acquired Little World Beverages, the parent company of Little Creatures, in a deal worth $256.3 million. This deal represented a 39.8% premium on Little World Beverage's pre-announcement trading price of $3.79 per share, with Lion offering $5.30 in cash for every share.
The sale of Little World Beverages to Lion was driven by the founders' desire to expand the Little Creatures brand globally and take it to another level on the national and international stage. Howard Cearns, one of the founders, expressed that the deal was a great reward for shareholders, and it provided an opportunity to protect the people and culture within the company. Cearns also attributed the success of Little Creatures to its unwavering focus on product quality and a down-to-earth, honest, and humble organisational culture.
While Little Creatures is now a subsidiary of a Japanese firm, it continues to operate as a popular brewery and restaurant in Australia, known for its craft beers and unique brewing techniques using whole hop flowers. The brewery has won several awards, including being named Champion Australian Brewery in 2002 and its beers have featured in the annual GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of the Year event.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Little Creatures is owned by Little World Beverages, a subsidiary of Lion, which is itself a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company.
Little Creatures was founded by Howard Cearns, Nic Trimboli, and Phil Sexton, all former employees of Matilda Bay Brewing Company.
Little Creatures was founded in 2000 and released its first beer, Little Creatures Pale Ale, the same year.
Little Creatures is based in Fremantle, Western Australia, with additional breweries in Healesville and Geelong, Victoria.
