Drinks trends with Lion innovation director, Chris Moschos

Five years ago when I started this podcast I never thought I’d see small craft brewers making products like hard seltzers, low carb and non-alcoholic beers, or “cervezas” that to me look very much like the macro lagers they originally railed against.

But these are interesting and challenging times in the drinks industry. All producers are currently grappling with a plethora of economic headwinds and the need to cater for increasingly health conscious consumers.

Chris Moschos, who is innovation director at Lion, is better placed than most to speak about these trends.

Prior to joining Lion – Australia’s second biggest brewer – in February 2022, Chris worked for almost 14 years at spirits company Diageo Australia.

In this interview, Chris and I speak about a couple of Lion’s big bets in 2023. James Squire Stride, the first low carb beer released by the pioneering craft beer brand in its 25-year history.

And Kirin Hyoketsu, a premix vodka lemon sour that’s been phenomenally successful in Japan, where it’s been available since 2001.

This is a special episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast, produced in partnership with Lion.

And given Chris’s job title, I started this interview by asking what the word ‘innovation’ means to him.