“Lion Nathan, Australian brewer, will be able to draw from the gold chests of its Japanese parent, Kirin, in case it would like to make a major acquisition,” Lion Nathan CEO Gordon Cairns has told the Nine Network. Lion Nathan has previously backed down from wine company acquisitions to diversify from the stalling domestic beer market on financial grounds. However, Mr. Cairns rules out that “this new financial muscle will prompt Lion Nathan to try to buy Southcorp, the biggest Australian wine company, which has been identified as a prey due to strained finances.”

20 May, 2003