title: Craft vs. industrial: Habits, attitudes and motivations towards beer consumption in Mexico.
abstract: Food choices tend to be stable over time; they do not change fast, since consumers tend to act like creatures of habits. However, food habits can evolve, like currently the craft beer category. A change of habits involves a change of perception towards a product. Therefore, what is changing in the perception of beer? Two studies were conducted to address this question. First study was preliminary and aimed at exploring beer consumption habits in Mexico and a better understanding of craft beer representation among beer users. A questionnaire was administrated to 207 consumers in Mexico City during a beer festival. Results showed that respondents could be classified in: industrial beer (41.1%), occasional industrial (24.1%), and craft beer (34.8%) consumers. Craft cluster included mostly 25-35 years old men with high-income level. Among the craft beers cited by respondents from this cluster some are industrial, suggesting that the concept of craft beer might not be well defined, or defined in ideological terms. The second and main study was conducted using consumer ethnographies to understand the motivations and benefits of craft beer consumption. Opposite to industrial, craft beer emerges as an experience-based and symbolic product rather than a utilitarian one. The main motivation for drinking craft beer seems to be the quest of authenticity. Respondents' motivations to drink craft beer are generated by three important factors: desire for more knowledge, new taste experiences, and move away from the mainstream beer consumption. Craft consumers do not drink the product for its functional attributes, they consume it for what it means and as a consequence they build an identity, perceived as more authentic and unique, in comparison to the mainstream industrial beer consumption in Mexico.
authors.affiliation: Sensory and Consumer Laboratory, Biotechnology Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Av. San Rafael Atlixco No. 186, Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, 09340, México City, Mexico. Electronic address: carlos.gomezcorona@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Corona
authors.affiliation: Sensory and Consumer Laboratory, Biotechnology Department, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Av. San Rafael Atlixco No. 186, Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, 09340, México City, Mexico. Electronic address: hbeb@xanum.uam.mx.
authors.forename: Héctor B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Escalona-Buendía
authors.affiliation: Phenoma Targetting Lab, Campos Elíseos 68, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Miguel Hidalgo, 11000, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Groupe ISA, Institut Charles Viollette, 48 Boulevard Vauban, 59046, Lille Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chollet
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR6265 CNRS - INRA-UB, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valentin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001515:Beer; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Consumer ethnography; Consumer habits; Craft beer; Drinking experience