Hospitality Business Magazine

Lion moves Head Office to downtown Auckland

Lion New Zealand has opened the doors to its new head office in the 6 Green Star building at 136 Fanshawe Street.

Lion New Zealand Country Director Craig Baldie said: “This office move feels like a positive sign of things to come.

“We had originally planned to move in during September last year, but Delta, as it did with so many things, put the kibosh on that. Now, we can open, albeit cautiously, and begin a new chapter in this vibrant area of the Auckland CBD.”

Lion is one of five tenants at 136 Fanshawe Street, which comprises two towers with Meredith Connell and Fidelity Life taking naming rights. The building was designed by FORMiS and built by Mansons TCLM. Lion’s interior fit out was done by STACK. The Pride, Lion’s brewery and beverage facility, is located in East Tamaki.

The 19,900m² building has received the internationally recognised 6 Green Star rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council, the highest available sustainability standard.

“Lion has ambitious sustainability aspirations. We define our core purpose in terms of the value we deliver to society; we exist to champion sociability and help people live well, and our new office truly embraces this. From having less impact on the environment, to enabling easier collaboration and sociability among our teams with creative spaces and technology, to the short stroll down to the beautiful Auckland Waterfront with so many great hospitality venues.

“The fit-out brief to Stack focused on sustainability and best-practice design thinking, to create a uniquely Lion space, that was functional and agile, but didn’t look conventional. We repurposed as much as we could from our previous office and prioritised local materials, trades and furniture to bring to life our legacy and personality.

“Lion NZ’s origins go back 180 years to when the company was first established in 1841, with the Great Northern Brewery in Khyber Pass opening in 1861. Our presence has evolved to include the manufacture and distribution of a wide range of beverages, craft brewing, coffee, and hospitality venues.

“Our new space supports our drive to be the most innovative and sustainable beverages company in Aotearoa with new ways of working, a range of collaborative spaces and the best technology alongside tributes to our long and proud legacy.

“The events of the last two years have reinforced just how important purpose, human connection and sociability are to us. We are excited to be slowly emerging from our home offices, make-shift desks, dining tables and sofas to come back together in 2022 with our sights firmly looking to the future,” concluded Baldie.