This fall, the City of Gland launched its very first call for projects for the “New Economy Prize – in search of tomorrow’s solutions”, a competition aimed at Gland businesses and entrepreneurs. The objective: to inspire initiatives with a positive and direct impact on the local economy that also contribute to quality of life in Gland and to the common good. The participants took up the challenge with creativity and commitment. The jury appreciated the quality and diversity of the 26 projects that were submitted, and in the end, Dive Bär’s project came first.
After deliberations, the jury, chaired by Gilles Davoine, member of the City Council in charge of economic promotion, awarded the New Economy Prize to Dive Bär for its project to create a new kind of brewery, and rewarded three other projects in the categories Proximity, Circular Economy/Innovation, and Partnership.
Dive Bär – The brewery of tomorrow
Founded in January 2016 by Jonathon Klassen and David Shotlander, the new craft brewery envisioned by the award-winning Dive Bär will follow their motto, Craft Everything, which takes the double meaning of “make everything yourself” and “craft in all its forms”. In an initially ephemeral configuration, the project aims to become an innovative family destination housing a brewery, a food idea factory with coffee roasting, a tap room and coffee bar, a restaurant featuring local products, a family community space for gatherings and events of all kinds, a “Bär Shop” offering quality local products, and a collaborative space where new products and partnerships are born and developed. It will host brewing, roasting and team building workshops. Dive Bär is also planning to include a space where local musicians will give acoustic concerts and where visual artists and crafters will exhibit their work. The founders also intend to build partnerships with local associations, and projects aiming at improving the community will also be considered: urban gardening, recycling and upcycling, Repair Café, Festival du Film Vert, etc. Lastly, the business will seek to re-use resources as part of its mission to foster a circular economy.