Lion meanwhile, which makes XXXX, West End and Tooheys beer and is owned by Japanese giant Kirin, has been battling a slowdown in the mainstream beer market, although it has been making strong headway in craft beer with brands including James Squire, Little Creatures and Furphy.

Consistently Doubling

Mr Gregor said sales had been doubling each year since Four Pillars was launched.

The retail equivalent value of sales Four Pillars generates is around $35 million annually.

He said there had been approaches from other companies interested in a buyout, but the founders decided Lion's strategy in building craft beer brands meant it was the best fit as Four Pillars expanded its reach.

Mr Gregor said the investment by Lion would enable Four Pillars to accelerate its global push.

He declined to specify how much Lion had paid for the 50 per cent stake.

Industry analysts estimated a half-share could be worth between $30 million to $50 million depending on the profit margins and growth trajectory. That would make it the biggest transaction in the Australian spirits industry since Diageo acquired Bundaberg Rum almost 20 years ago.


An expansion of the Healesville distillery and cellar door is on the drawing board. The trio have signed long-term contracts to keep driving the business.

Nothing short of remarkable — James Brindley Lion managing director

"It's really important for us and our customers and staff that the three of us will be hanging around for many years to come,'' Mr Gregor said.

Lion was involved in a joint venture with spirits group Bacardi in Australia called Bacardi Lion which was disbanded in 2016 after 13 years. The company is trying to sell its dairy and drinks business, which hit a roadblock last week when Coca-Cola Amatil pulled out of a joint bidding approach with Freedom Foods.

Lion's Mr Brindley said what the Four Pillars founders had done in five years from scratch was ''nothing short of remarkable''.

Atlanta Olympics

Mr Mackenzie represented Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the 4 x 400m relay in athletics, and first met Mr Gregor in 1999 when they were working for Mildara Blass, which many years later became Treasury Wine Estates.

Mr Jones, a design and branding expert who was born in Wales, joined forces with Four Pillars to add extra grunt to its marketing strategy just before it was established.


Mr Gregor said the name was chosen without any connection to the "four pillars'' policy in Australia's banking system where the government is against any major bank mergers.

"It's just a good, easy sounding name,'' he said. It also referenced the four fundamental inputs to a good craft spirits company which the founders put on labels of the very first batch of gin, and still reinforce constantly, of ''stills, botanicals, water and love''.

Mr Gregor has been a key driver in promoting the gin industry more broadly in Australia, as president of the Australian Distillers Association since late 2014. It has 190 members, up from 40 in 2014.