How Hawke’s Brewing has evolved its brand, team and beers

Hawke’s Brewing was founded by advertising creatives Nathan Lennon and David Gibson, together with former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, in 2017. Bob Hawke passed away in 2019 but his legacy lives on at Hawke’s Brewing through a unique arrangement that diverts his royalty share in the business to Landcare Australia, the environmental charity he founded in 1989. We’ll talk about that later on in this interview with Nathan and head brewer Brodie French, as well as reflecting on some key milestones for the business. Hawke’s brought production of its beers entirely in-house since commissioning its Marrickville brewery in late 2021. And soon after, the company entered the hospitality arena in spectacular fashion with the establishment of the Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre, incorporating the Lucky Prawn Chinese Restaurant. We’ll find out a bit about Brodie’s brewing passions; Hawke’s evolution from a single SKU brand to a more diverse product offering; and its national expansion plans, including recent efforts to establish a beachhead in Melbourne. First up though, I asked Nathan about the significance to Hawke’s of the Marrickville venue, which just notched up 12 months of trading.   Click here to open episode in your podcast player.