Beer shortage: Delivery delays prompted fears of Speight’s shortage

Delivery delays prompted fears of a Speight’s shortage in the South. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Lion NZ has apologised to customers — and added staff to address the issue — after delivery delays prompted fears of a Speight’s shortage in the South.

The company yesterday said there was no shortage of beer — neither the cans and bottles brewed in Auckland, nor the kegs brewed in Dunedin.

Rather, managing director Craig Baldie said the company had been in the process of implementing “some significant logistics and warehousing changes” in the South Island.

“This has unfortunately resulted in us being behind on customer deliveries and some customers will have low stock or be out of stock of some products.

“We have apologised profusely to impacted customers and are working hard and fast to improve the situation.”

Baldie said Lion had made progress in the past few days with the warehouse catching up on the delays and getting out more orders overall.

“We would like to assure our customers that we are putting in extra people and hours until deliveries are on track.”