“I’m more confident to talk about issues or problems. I never thought I’d put my hand up. But I’ve found my voice. I have something to say.”

That’s not your typical story in manufacturing.

But that’s exactly what happened at Lion, one of New Zealand’s most iconic beverage companies, where a bold new approach to Continuous Improvement (CI) has been brewing.

You’ve seen it before: another push for improvement, driven from the boardroom.
But on the floor, it’s the same issues, the same roadblocks, the same silence.

It’s not because the tools are bad. It’s because people never buy in.
They don’t feel safe to speak up. They don’t see the point. They don’t think anyone would listen. So they stay silent.

And that silence kills innovation. It was that silence we set out to change.

Enter Project Submarine. 

Rather than focusing just on the systems and tools, we began with a much more human idea: What if the key to improvement isn’t about processes, but about people?

Co-designed through close collaboration with Lion’s Pride brewery leadership team, Project Submarine was built on a shared belief that CI can be done differently. Better, even. Radical for some. A no-brainer for us. 

Instead of pushing improvement from the boardroom to the bottling line, we built a programme that pulled from the floor up. We created space for people to think, speak up, and lead from where they stand.

And the results are real. Visible. 

Project Submarine sparked:

  • Greater confidence, not just in individuals, but across teams
  • More trust, collaboration, and mutual respect between departments
  • Faster recognition and resolution of issues, with stronger team problem-solving
  • A willingness to speak up about risks, ideas, and opportunities
  • A culture of curiosity, where new ideas are welcomed, not feared
  • More resilience during change, and more energy toward improvement

We saw more than just improved engagement. Teams stepped up. Leaders emerged. Conversations changed.

Project Submarine proved:

When CI is built from the ground up, when people believe they have a voice, that their ideas matter, and they have the confidence to act, they do.

At its heart, this was about empowering people to lead change. Learners explored how to own their role, influence others, and think like leaders. They gained confidence to engage with systems like TPM. Not just as a checklist, but as a way of thinking.

It wasn’t box-ticking. 

As facilitator Dylan Patchett put it;
“We saw the difference: Learners embracing a growth mindset, being above the line, and collaborating in the shared-headed system. Learners have stepped out of their comfort zones and are more confident about engaging with TPM systems and processes.”

One learner summed it up perfectly:
 “Being an Unstoppable Focused Champion is about caring about what you do, leading by example, taking action, respecting the abilities of all team members, and using different heads to see things in different ways. It’s about being proactive, thinking about solutions, and seeking help when needed. It’s about holding others to account when standards aren’t met, having a go and not being afraid to try new things.”

That’s not just a quote. It’s a culture shift. 

And it didn’t come from a flashy tool. It came from trust. From respect. From the belief that those closest to the work often have the clearest view of how to improve it.

In an industry that often feels like it’s racing to digitise and automate, Lion went deeper. They invested in their people. First. 

That’s the real story of Project Submarine. 

This isn’t just a case study. It’s a powerful signal to the industry:

If we want sustainable, people-led CI that actually delivers, we’ve got to stop assuming the answers live in the boardroom, and start believing in the power of a workforce that’s engaged, skilled, and supported to lead the change.