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The Mason jar was once the main vessel used to preserve food. Now it is being used to preserve – or perhaps increase – Grolsch’s hold on the beer market. Grolsch is making use of the growing popularity on mason jars in trendy bars and cafes as a way of displaying home-made goods and released its lager in “The Jar” or Borcanul.

Grolsch has launched its lager in mason jars in just one market for now, Romania. Beer consumption represents 25.6% of the country’s drinks market by volume while the European average is 12.8%.

Beer consumption is growing most significantly in the Romania, Poland and the UK – due almost entirely to the new phenomenon, flavoured beers. Worldwide, 14%  of consumption in the lager market is triggered by a desire for new experiences. And with standard beer consumption declining at 3% per annum globally, many “new experiences” – including, but also outside, flavoured beers are being trialled. A bottle cap that unlocks movies is another new experience that has been launched by Grolsch.

Also this month, Grolsch launched a multipack that targets people who love creative challenges, especially at get togethers. On the side of the multipack are seemingly absurd stories in the style of De Bono’s lateral thinking challenges. These are the basis for a game to play with a bunch of friends. One of the participants is nominated to be the storyteller and knows the solution published on Experimentalist.ro, while the others must find out the solution by thinking outside the square.

Food & Drink Business

Independent brewery, Better Beer, has appointed former Stone & Wood CFO, Chris Pensabene, as its new chief financial officer – following the milestone achievement of selling 100 million cans.

Winners of the New South Wales Export Awards have been announced, with SunRice Group taking out the Agribusiness, Food & Beverages category, Flavourtech receiving the Regional Exporter award, and BiteRiot taking out Small Business.

Brianna Casey has been appointed the new managing director of AgriFutures Australia, effective 19 January 2026. The announcement follows her decision to step down as CEO of Foodbank Australia in October, after nine years in the role.