Lion Nathan, Australian brewing group and daughter of Japanese parent Kirin, is in talks with an international brewer on the future of its Chinese beer interests, the company revealed yesterday in the Australian Financial Review newspaper. The loss-making Chinese business was the main black mark on results for the year to August 31, which showed a 6 per cent lift to $130.24million after tax. Shares in the brewer, producer of brands such as XXXX and Tooheys, gained four cents to $3.70 this week. Lion saw a growth in its national market share from 41.5per cent to 41.9per cent over a year in which Australian beer sales stagnated at 1739 million litres, the paper continued.
