Red Lion Brewing
| Red Lion Brewing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Organisation | |
| Type | Public (NISX:RLI) |
| Employees | 5,459 |
| Founded | 22 February 1876 |
| Founder(s) | Sir James Hoy |
| Headquarters |
244-252 Falconer Street Shepton, CENT |
| Key people |
The Lord Haines (Chairman) Iain Underwood (Managing director) |
| Products and services | |
| Industry | Consumer goods |
| Products | Beverages |
| Finances | |
| Revenue |
 £1.1 billion |
Red Lion Brewing plc (NISX:RLI) is a brewing and distilling company based in Shepton, Centralia. The company is the largest producer of alcoholic drinks in New Ingrea and brews most of the top selling beer, wine and spirit brands in the country.
Founded in 1876 in Rosenham, Red Lion today produces a number of award winning brands such as Lion Draught and Falcon Vale Wines. The Lord Haines, the current chairman of Red Lion, is the third richest person in New Ingrea.
History
Red Lion was founded in 1876 by James Hoy, the owner of the Red Lion Tavern in Rosenham. Hoy hoped to promote a locally made and produced beer for the general public. Between 1876 and 1980, full strength and mid-strength lagers were produced locally at the Rosenham brewery.
Throughout the 1980s, the company continued to grow, and by 1986 it held about 15% of the market. Additional brands were added including Lion Dry and Lion Ale. In late 1986, the company announced it would move from the cramped brewery in Rosenham to the site of the former meat works in Shepton. The moved was completed in early 1991 with the construction of a massive state of the art brewery. This expansion led to another rapid growth in demand, and the market share for Red Lion jumped to 35% by the end of 1992.
In 2005, the company became the major sponsor of the NIFA Superleague 1 competition. Last year, the company announced a net profit of £171 million, which was up from £150 million the year before.
Products
Red Lion produces a range of beer, wine and spirits. The most popular of these are:
- Lion Draught
- Rosenham Lager
- Lion Dry
- Lion Ale
- Falcon Vale Wines
Breweries and wineries
The Red Lion Brewery in Shepton The company operates two major breweries, a distillery and a winery for the production of beer, wine and spirits in New Ingrea.
The largest is the Shepton Brewery & Distillery located on in the northern suburbs of the city. Employing 2,500 staff, the flagship brands of the company are brewed in Shepton, including Lion Draught and Rosenham Larger. The brewery offers guided tours of the plant six days a week for a small fee, with beer tasting available afterwards for adults at the nearby Brewery Hotel. Shepton is also home to Red Lion's small Rum and Bourbon distilleries.
The Williamsdene Brewery is the smaller of the two breweries and employs 1,000 people. The brewery produces the two smaller beer labels Lion Ale and Lion Dry as well as the international beers produced under licence.
Wine is produced on site at the Falcon Vale Winery near the village of Donaldtown in the East Riding of Centralia. The winery is famous for it Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The winery facilities also include a small hotel which is one of the most popular short-break holiday destinations in the country. The winery employs 250 people.