Lion Brewery (Ceylon) wins Gold at NCE Export Awards 2019

Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC was awarded a Gold award and medal in the Large Exporter category at the National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Awards 2019 ceremony held in Colombo recently. The prestigious NCE awards reflect the high standards and criteria to be met, not only in achievement of export volume growth revenue and profit, but also compliance with quality and sustainability measures. 

Lion was first introduced to the Sri Lankan market in 1881 and is the market leader in Sri Lanka. It is well-loved by locals and tourists alike and is an iconic Sri Lankan brand. It was ranked among the top 10 local brands in the country, as rated by the international agency Interbrand. Lion brewery has been exporting its beers since 1999 and has successfully established a presence in over 30 markets across the world; among these are the highly competitive beer markets of United States, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan, China, France, Italy, Croatia, and Switzerland. 

The new markets entered in 2018 include Fiji, where Lion Lager and Lion Extra Strong have done well and are showing promise; Equatorial Guinea in West Africa, where the stout category is dominant and Lion Stout was identified as a brand with high potential; and South Korea, which has a Sri Lankan expatriate population and where Lion Strong is popular. Lion exports approximately three containers per day to different parts of the world.

Success was also achieved in the Maldives, where Lion was launched in late 2001.The brand is currently present in all resorts and has been the market leader since 2008, taking precedence over international brands that have been in the market since the 1970s. 

It could also be seen in the numerous drinks menu listings the brand has obtained at high profile accounts in New York City and London; Lion Stout has received the distinction of being the only Asian brand to be listed in prestigious bars and restaurants in New York and London alongside American and European craft beers. Both Lion Lager and Lion Stout are available on Broadway at the Minskoff theatre, where Disney’s ‘Lion King’ musical entertains theatre-goers on a daily basis for over 25 years. The brand has also obtained a listing at one of the Trump Golf clubs. 

Consumer ratings of Lion Stout, which is the flagship export to Western markets, ranges from 97-99 points on ratebeer.com. These consumer ratings lend more credibility than any Lion marketing campaign to consumers presented with a choice of over a thousand brands in competitive markets such as New York and London. Thus Lion Stout has a loyal consumer base in these markets because of its distinct taste profile and high online ratings by consumers. 

Africa is another success story for Lion with Lion Extra Strong, a brand brewed exclusively for export. This beer has gained traction among drinkers in several East and Central African countries. Lion is present in the UAE and Qatar and significant growth has been achieved in the last two years in these regions. 

The company’s focus is on building the Lion brand in international markets. The distinction achieved through market leadership – and acceptance of the brand among consumers in competitive beer markets – is a source of pride to the Company and country. It is also a reflection of the high quality standards in product and packaging that have enabled Lion beers to be recognised in mature, sophisticated beer markets. 

The Company has invested in sales personnel and marketing activities in order to drive distribution and sales in key markets while taking a truly Sri Lankan brand to the world.