Speight's marks 150 years: How the southern legend became New Zealand's number one beer brand
A Southern icon built on mateship, innovation and great beer – with 1 in 5 beers sold nationwide now a Speight’s.
What you need to know
Speight’s, one of New Zealand’s most iconic beer brands, is marking 150 years.
- Still standing at its original site in Dunedin, the brewery is a landmark and has helped shaped the city’s identity.
The anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge the legacy of Speight’s over the years, with confidence in the brand’s future.
Speight’s New Zealand is marking its 150th anniversary, celebrating the rise of one of the country’s most enduring and recognisable beer brands.
From its beginnings in a Dunedin brewery on Rattray Street in 1876, Speight’s has grown from a small local brewery to being New Zealand’s number one selling beer.
Today, 150 years on, Speight’s sells 1 million litres every week[1] and now accounts for around 1 in 5 beers sold in New Zealand[2], a testament to a brand that has mastered the art of balancing deep-rooted heritage with innovation.
LION Chief Operating Officer and New Zealand Country Director Craig Baldie says the anniversary reflects a brand that has continually moved with the times.
“Speight’s is New Zealand’s oldest brewery and is still operating at its original Rattray Street site in Dunedin. Over the past 150 years, the brand has continued to evolve in response to changing consumer preferences while remaining true to what people know and trust about Speight’s. That authenticity which is anchored in its southern values has enabled the brand to connect with New Zealanders over generations.”
Craig Baldie, Chief Operating Officer and NZ Country Director at LION
A brand that grew with the country
From the moment it was founded, Speight’s was part of something bigger than beer.
Founded by James Speight, Charles Greenslade and William Dawson, the brewery quickly found its footing in a fast-growing Dunedin, at a time when the city was one of the country’s busiest and most influential centres.
By the late 1880s, Speight’s had taken its place on the world stage, winning gold medals at international exhibitions and earning the name Gold Medal Ale, a legacy still stamped on every label today. Within just over a decade, it had become the largest brewery in the country, exporting across the Pacific and putting Dunedin on the map as a brewing powerhouse.
One-hundred-and-fifty years on, the brewery still stands on that same site as a landmark of the city and a reflection of the role it has played in shaping Dunedin’s identity.
Few brands are as deeply woven into New Zealand’s cultural fabric. From the era-defining Southern Man ads to the enduring “Good on ya, mate”, Speight’s has helped shape – and reflect – a distinctly Kiwi idea of mateship.
Over the years, those stories have evolved with the times. Campaigns like The Dance portrayed a more modern take on friendship and having someone’s back. Showing that the expression of mateship may shift but the sentiment behind it remains the same – that a Speight’s drinker is always there to help a mate.
Add to that decades of the Speight’s beloved bottle cap questions, backing southern rugby, and even shipping a pub halfway across the world, and it’s clear Speight’s has long held a place at the heart of Kiwi culture.
A rise 150 years in the making
While Speight’s has been part of New Zealand’s brewing landscape for 150 years, its position as the country’s leading beer brand has been cemented more recently, at a time when the category itself is under pressure.
Beer consumption has declined both in New Zealand and globally, with Stats NZ data showing beer consumption fell 10% to 265 million litres last year, continuing a longer-term downward trend[3]. Despite falling total beer sales, in the same year, Speight’s grew 4.4%[1], which reinforces the strength of the brand throughout the country.
A key inflection point came in 2017 with the launch of Speight’s Summit Ultra, developed in response to growing demand for lower-carb options. It has since become the top-selling beer in New Zealand, helping Speight’s become the biggest beer brand in the country in 2022.
“We identified early that consumers overseas were looking for lighter styles of beer that aligned with more balanced lifestyles, without compromising on taste,” says Baldie.
“Summit Ultra has been instrumental in reshaping the brand’s trajectory and has played a significant role in its recent growth.”
Alongside its flagship Gold Medal Ale, the range now spans everything from craft brews to lighter and alcohol-free options, ensuring the brand continues to resonate with drinkers today.
Speight's celebrations
To mark its 150th anniversary, Speight’s has released a commemorative can available nationwide. In recognition of its Dunedin roots, Speight’s are also releasing a limited-edition Whisky Collection based at the Dunedin brewery and a Gold Medal Hokey Pokey ice cream collaboration with Patti’s & Cream. A commemorative event will also be held at the Dunedin brewery to recognise the brand’s origins and ongoing connection to the region.
“This anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge the role Speight’s has played in New Zealand’s history, as well as the people who have contributed to its success over the years. It’s also an exciting moment to celebrate Speight’s legacy and look ahead, with confidence in the brand’s continued growth,” says Baldie.
References:
[1] LION, ex-New Zealand Brewery volume, 2026
[2] Neilson scan, MAT (Moving Annual Total) April 2026.