Three Sisters Brewery has acquired Sunshine Brewing, including the well-known Gisborne Gold brand, in a move that both safeguards one of New Zealand’s oldest independent craft breweries and accelerates the buyer’s growth ambitions.
Founded by Joe Emans, founder of Three Sisters Brewery, the New Plymouth-based company plans to maintain Sunshine’s identity and operations in Gisborne while integrating production into its broader strategy. Emans emphasized that both breweries will “keep doing what they’re good at,” underlining a commitment to preserving Sunshine’s legacy and local roots.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, comes at a critical moment for Sunshine Brewing, which faced the prospect of closure after a challenging period. Its current owners, including Martin Jakicevich, owner of Sunshine Brewing, had been seeking a buyer and described the sale as “bittersweet,” balancing emotional ties to the business with confidence in its future under new ownership.
Sunshine Brewing, founded in 1989 and widely regarded as New Zealand’s longest-running independent craft brewery, built its reputation on Gisborne Gold, a lager with strong regional loyalty and national distribution. Industry observers highlight the acquisition as significant, not only preserving a heritage brand but also marking a rare case of a smaller craft brewery acquiring a larger peer.
For Three Sisters, the transaction directly addresses production constraints. The company had recently raised around NZD 400,000 (approx. USD 250,000) through crowdfunding to expand capacity, driven in part by export demand—particularly in China, which accounts for a substantial share of its sales volume. By utilizing Sunshine’s larger brewing facilities, the company can scale output while maintaining its New Plymouth site for smaller, seasonal batches.
The acquisition also opens immediate international growth opportunities. Emans noted that existing distribution channels in China could be extended to Sunshine’s portfolio, potentially boosting volumes for both brands. At the same time, Sunshine’s taproom and core range are expected to remain unchanged, with efforts underway to retain key staff and ensure continuity.
Beyond operational synergies, the deal reflects shifting dynamics in the craft beer sector. While previous decades saw consolidation driven by global brewers, recent years have been characterized by divestments and fewer acquisitions. Against this backdrop, the purchase of Sunshine Brewing by another independent brewer stands out as an uncommon example of intra-craft consolidation aimed at survival and expansion.
Industry commentators view the move as a positive signal for the sector, demonstrating that strategic collaboration and investment can preserve heritage brands while enabling growth—even in a challenging market environment.
