Grolsch has a rich tradition dating back to 1615. Discover how a small brewery could grow into the modern complex it is today. Learn how Grolsch adapted and evolved through the centuries, from mergers to acquisitions, leading to the contemporary brewery situated between Enschede and Boekelo: a story of resilience, innovation, and determination.
Welcome to Grolsch's history!
It all begins on 11 May 1615, when Willem Neerfeldt buys a building in Grol (Groenlo) to start a brewery.
One of his brewers, Peter Kuijper, would later become known as the founder of Grolsch beer.
Peter Kuijper marries Jenneken, Willem Neerfeldt's daughter. Tradition has it that Peter had an ardent passion for brewing the most delicious beer and tried to win Jenneken's hand in order to take over the brewery, which Willem had resolved to keep in the family.
The story goes that Peter was rejected three times, getting a 'Yes' only after building the perfect beer using two hop varieties.
In 1676, Peter Kuijper is elected Guildmaster of the brewers' guild in Grol (Groenlo).
His new position is a testament to his amazing talent for brewing beer, and he perfects his craft over time.
In 1684, Peter Kuijper dies a wealthy man, leaving the brewery to his family, which remained in the same building on Kevelderstraat in Grol until 1876. The brewery passed from son to son until one of Kuijper's great-granddaughters marries a Harperink. The owner's name changes from Kuijper to Harperink,
and the brewery starts making a name for itself as 'De Klok'. The Harperink family stayed in control of 'De Lange Gang' until the 20th century, and the inn has continued to serve Grolsch until this day.
As demand for Grolsche beer continues to grow, a second brewery is built just outside the city walls of Groenlo in 1876.
The second brewery is also called 'De Klok' and is situated on Eibergseweg.
Grolsch beer will be brewed in Groenlo until the brewery opens its doors in Enschede in 2004.
In 1895, several local manufacturers, merchants and bankers decide to establish a brewery.
Other neighbouring towns have thriving breweries too, so why would the big city of Enschede not have its own? The textile industry attracts more and more people and creates a growing market. The 'Enschedesche Bierbrouwerij' (E.B.B.) is opened in 1895.
In 1897, Theo de Groen introduces the 1/2 litre swing-top bottle: with a porcelain head, a rubber ring and a metal bracket.
Theo de Groen, an Utrecht-born brewer from a true brewing family, buys the Grolsch beer brewery 'De Klok' from the Harperink family in 1897. His three sons, Theo, Cobus and Andries, will later take charge of the brewery.
Early advertisements praise the many advantages of the new swing-top bottle:
While the crown cap bottle later comes to dominate the beer market, Grolsch director De Groen sticks to the swing-top bottle, famously saying: "I'll decide how to bottle my beer."
World War I is a trying time for the Enschedesche Bierbrouwerij, and it struggles to recover in full after the end of the war.
To turn the brewery's fortunes around, Theo de Groen, the successful owner of a brewery in Groenlo, is asked whether one of his sons (Theo, Cobus and Andries) could pull the Enschedesche Brouwerij out of the doldrums. De Groen is more interested in a merger with his own Grolsch brewery 'De Klok', and so N.V. Beer Brewery 'De Klok' Enschede-Groenlo is born in 1922, with locations in Groenlo and Enschede.
Andries and Cobus remain in Groenlo, with Theo jr. managing the brewery in Enschede.
After the war, beer brewers begin advertising to revive interest in beer.
While they work together at first ('Beer is Best Again'), Grolsch soon starts independent promotions.
In 1949, Theo de Groen hires advertising expert Gerard Brummer, who will later become the first non-family board member.
Following the first campaign 'Beer lovers drink Grolsch', Gerard Brunner comes up with the motto 'Craftsmanship is Mastery' in the late 1950s.
This motto remains strongly associated with Grolsch.
Around 1960, Gerard Brummer decides to team up with well-known photographer Paul Huf. Paul Huf: "He saw the artisan's mastery as an ideal comparison to the craftsmanship with which Grolsch beer was brewed."
Numerous films and photo reports of working artisans follow, making it one of the most acclaimed and longest-running advertising campaigns in the Netherlands.
To this day, 'Craftsmanship is Mastery' continues to feature prominently on nearly all Grolsch products and promotions as a signature of sorts.
Over time, the swing-top bottle is adapted multiple times for faster production.
It gets a more streamlined look in the early 1960s and undergoes another update ten years later for the state-of-the-art automated production process.
The distinctive Grolsch embossed decoration featuring hops and barley remains on the bottles today. The green swing-top is introduced in 2008.
Although it has been exporting since 1946, Grolsch significantly increases its export efforts in 1972.
Until then, the company has had no real interest in exporting thanks to its growing success in the Dutch market. The green export bottle and swing-top rapidly make a name for themselves, standing out among imported brands worldwide.
Grolsch's craftsmanship and high quality do not go unnoticed, earning the brewery the title 'Koninklijk' (Royal) in 1995.
Its name is formally changed to Koninklijke Grolsch Brouwerij N.V.,
as one of the few Dutch companies boasting the 100 years of prestige and impeccable track record needed for this reward.
On 13 May 2000, shortly after 15:30, a devastating explosion occurs at SE Fireworks, just 200 meters from the brewery.
The Enschede brewery is severely impacted and temporarily shut down, with office staff forced to move in with colleagues in Groenlo. It will take six months for the brewery to resume full operations.
After the decision is made to build a new brewery to replace the Enschede and Groenlo sites in 1998, the first stone is laid on 30 May 2002.
Completed in 2004, the new brewery produces the very first Grolsch beer, harnessing both (almost) 400 years of tradition and state-of-the-art technology. At the time, the brewery ranked among the world's most advanced and eco-friendly breweries in the world.
Under the motto 'Better a good neighbour than a distant friend', Grolsch brews a special beer: Grolsch Noaber, for neighbours new and old.
To support innovation, the Pilot Brewery opens in 2005, empowering Master Brewers.
To explore new beer styles and refine traditional recipes freely, as they 'Discover everything, and keep what is good’. They are given free rein to develop existing recipes, give traditional beer styles a modern twist or develop new beers and styles.
On 5 February 2007, Grolsch introduces a transparent green returnable bottle, replacing the traditional brown one.
The stylish and striking new design revolutionises the beer landscape with distinctive features,
including flattened sides, vertical Grolsch embossing on both sides, the symbol of the two types of hops on the shoulder.
Beer has never looked this beautiful!
In February 2008, Grolsch becomes a subsidiary of SABMiller, a South African company.
This makes Grolsch part of one of the largest breweries in the world.
In the 400 years since 1615, we have grown into one of the oldest and largest beer breweries in the Netherlands.
To mark 400 years of Grolsch, we launch the new campaign 'Grolsch celebrates 400 years of character'. At the heart of the campaign are two pillars of Grolsch DNA: craftsmanship and character.
Since October 2016, Grolsch has been part of Asahi Group Holdings, a global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food company based in Japan.
The Group gives us international reach, amplifies our future and opens doors to new opportunities.
Royal Grolsch sets a new standard in can packaging by launching the cardboard TopClip.
The new packaging is 100% plastic-free and replaces all can film in the Netherlands. As a result, Grolsch saves over 100,000 kg of plastic per year, equal to more than 4 million new plastic bags. Overall, the brewer reduces carbon emissions by 36% compared to new plastic films and 16% compared to recycled plastic films.
For the first time since 2007, Grolsch introduces a not-so-new Grolsch crate, made entirely from old crates.
No only does the new crate boast a fresh design, but it's also been significantly future-proofed. The new ridges and embossing make stickers easy to remove and keep our crates looking the part for longer. And the best part: the new crates are super sustainable, because they're made of 98% recycled crates.