Estudo de caso de cervejarias artesanais do Estado do Espírito Santo: diagnóstico do processo produtivo e perfil dos consumidores

Abstract

The substantial growth of the national beer market, at the end of 2019, caused the installation and registration of a total of 1,209 breweries in Brazil. The state of Espírito Santo saw a growth of 77% alone. A craft brewery has been characterized by being small, independent and traditional and is recognized for producing beers with more evident scents and flavors. Research carried out in a few Brazilian states shows that the tasting of new flavors, the investigation for quality products and the eager for craft products have been changing the habits, preferences and purchasing behavior of consumers. In this context, the present study aimed to collect information about the production lifecycle of craft brewery in the state of Espirito Santo and to identify the profile of craft beer consumers, via evaluating the elements that influence its consumption. The data was collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. In the study conducted with craft breweries, all participants were found in accordance with Ministerio da Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento (MAPA) requirements. These breweries proved to be demanding in terms of the quality of the beer they produce and guarantee their processes through the use of good raw material, compliance with the proposed recipes, control of production variables and compliance with good practices of food production. The results obtained from the survey with consumers of craft beer in Espirito Santo, presented an increase in interest in craft beers and confirmed the growth trend of this market in the state. Most consumers are male with schooling and finance more pronounced for this market, which has higher prices when compared to beers of large breweries. However, the female public has also been gaining space in this sector. It was possible to identify that the Pale Ale style of beer is the most preferred and that consumption happens once a week by the majority, in their own homes. The attributes that consumers consider most important in the purchase moment are the style and price of beer, where price was considered the withstanding factor that limits the most the increase in consumption of craft beer. These correlations can aid manufacturers in identifying factors that influence the choice and consumption and, in addition, such information can be used to develop marketing actions in order to cause interest and meet the expectations of differentiatedgroups.