Stone & Wood built its reputation as Byron Bay's craft brewery. The beer, the ethos, the Byron identity — all carefully crafted. What was less carefully communicated: Lion, owned by Japan's Kirin Holdings, bought them in 2021.
# Stone & Wood Is Owned by Lion — Which Is Owned by Japan
Stone & Wood Pacific Ale is one of Australia's most recognisable craft beers. The brand evokes Byron Bay, coastal living, and genuinely independent brewing. It's drunk by people who care about where their beer comes from.
Here's where it comes from: Lion Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Kirin Holdings, a Japanese multinational.
In 2021, Lion — which already owned a significant portfolio of Australian and New Zealand beer and dairy brands — acquired Stone & Wood for an undisclosed sum. Lion is itself wholly owned by Kirin Holdings, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The Lion acquisition brought Stone & Wood into a portfolio that already included: - XXXX Gold - Tooheys New and Extra Dry - James Squire - Little Creatures - Furphy - Hahn - And many other Australian brands
All of these, including Stone & Wood, now have profits flowing to Tokyo.
Stone & Wood's marketing leans heavily into Byron Bay identity. The Pacific Ale, the green bottle, the coastal aesthetic. None of this is dishonest in a narrow sense — the beer is still made in Byron Bay, and many of the original founders remain involved.
But the ownership context — that a Tokyo-listed company now owns the profits — isn't prominently disclosed. Consumers who care about supporting Australian-owned businesses deserve to know this before they buy.
Does a change in ownership necessarily change the beer? Often, no. Does it change where the economic benefit of your purchase goes? Yes, substantially. The Corporate Camouflage scanner shows you this chain in seconds.