craft beer research study

Craft BeerResearch Study Meghan GuilmartinStephen KeimigChelsea RichardsonTiana RobinsonBrandon UrbanChristie Watson

Franklin Pierce University

Introduction• Franklin Pierce University’s main

undergraduate campus is located in Rindge New Hampshire and educates roughly 1,394 students and has 391 employees

• Franklin Pierce University has a student population with ages that range from 18-23

• The campus sees a fair amount of legal alcohol consumption, which includes beer

Problem StatementResearch is necessary to determine

beer consumption preferences among the students, staff, and faculty of the

Franklin Pierce Rindge community

Difference between Craft Beer & National Beer

BrandsCraft beers like Long Trail and Magic Hat are classified as specialty brews produced in microbreweries

Large national beers are classified as mass produced beers from national breweries such as Miller, Coors, and Budweiser

Research Objectives1. Review the literature related to beer

consumption preferences, industry facts, and trends

2. Investigate beer expenditures and brand preferences

3. Identify key factors that influence craft beer purchases

Literature Review: Marketing Methods

Four essentials to effective craft beer marketing:1. Having a quality product. Also known as the

point of sale1

2. Creating a story. This is effective due to how consumer buying decisions are based on emotion1

3. Going viral. Companies use the internet to expand their consumer basis1

4. Brand loyalty. If the customer likes the product, they are more likely to recommend to others and frequently buy the product1

Literature Review: The Market

• Craft beer industry is prospering.  It is proven that consumers prefer buying local products and support items tied to their local area1

• Besides being local, craft beer has health benefits: it contains B vitamins, silicon, and a variety of antioxidants2

• Some craft beers are gluten-free, for those that may have a gluten allergy2

Literature Review: Statistics

• 2011: craft beer industry saw a 13.9% increase in the U.S. Beer Industry Segmentation, where other larger distributors saw a decrease of 3.9%. Craft beer has also grown 10% annually1

• Craft beer is projected to represent nearly 15% of the beer industry by 2020 at the current growth rates1

Statistics Con’t• According to the 2012 Annual Report

from the Brewers Association, the sales growth rate within the industry was 15% increase by volume and a 17% increase in retail dollars4

• 2012: the number of barrels sold totaled 13,235,917. This is equivalent to 364,781,872.52 cases of craft beers4

Statistics Con’t

• As of June 2013, there are 2,483 craft beer breweries throughout the country.3

• The industry has also provided roughly 108,440 jobs across the United States3

Literature Review: The Consumers

• Beer drinkers like choices, thus craft breweries try to have different flavors and different kinds beer for the consumers.1

• Increased availability of the product has helped consumers see past higher prices4

Methodology: Development of

Survey• Our team educated ourselves about the

Beer industry and then developed a Literature Review

• Based survey questions off of our knowledge of beer purchases.

• Used ratio, internal, and nominal questions• Reviewed by Professor Little three times as

well as by 28 students• Approved by the Internal Review Board

Methodology: Definition of the

Population• 1,394 current undergraduate students at

Franklin Pierce• Out of 1,394 students, 97% are between

the ages of 18-39• Our team interviewed students 21 and

over• The study also included faculty and staff

which consists of 548 currently employed members

Methodology: Sample Size

• Students and faculty/staff aged 21 years and older

• Sample split evenly in half between female and male respondents

• Out of our 144 respondents: 72 students and 72 faculty/staff

• Each section was divided in half by female and males to accurately represent the ratio

Methodology: Data Collection Method

• Person administered surveys and non-probability techniques

• Survey was given to 144 individuals, including students, faculty

• Convenience sampling, a non-probability technique, was used to interview respondents

Methodology: Assumptions and

Limitations• Research team is under the assumption that all

the respondents will answer questions honestly and accurately

• Study was limited to a small sample size due to the size of the campus

• Time restraint of the semester dictated the sample size so data could be collected on time

• Our study was limited due to legal constraints, requiring respondents to be of legal drinking age

SurveyCraft Beer Preference Questionnaire We are a team of Franklin Pierce marketing research students conducting research related to the preference of beer purchases of Franklin Pierce students, staff, and faculty. Our research is geared to measure both craft beer and large national beer preferences. Your individual responses will be kept confidential, and all data taken from the survey will be reported as aggregate data only. Thank you for your participation!

Please answer this questionnaire based on your own beer preference and purchases. For this questionnaire, craft beers like Long Trail and Magic Hat are classified as specialty brews produced in microbreweries. Large national beers are classified as mass produced beers from national breweries such as Miller, Coors, and Budweiser.

1. Which type of beer do you prefer?[ ] Craft Beer (1)[ ] National Beer Brands (2)

Survey Con’t2. How often do you purchase craft beer? (Please check only one)[ ] Daily (1) [ ] Weekly (2) [ ] Bi weekly (3) [ ] Monthly (4) [ ] Yearly (5) [ ] Never (6) 3. How often do you purchase national beer brands? (Please check only one)[ ] Daily (1) [ ] Weekly (2) [ ] Bi weekly (3) [ ] Monthly (4) [ ] Yearly (5) [ ] Never (6) 4. Please rate how familiar you are with craft beer?Not familiar Very Familiar 1 2 3 4 5

Survey Con’t 5. What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer? (Please check all that apply.)____Brand Loyalty (0;1) _____Price (0;1) ______Beer Advertisement (0;1)____Taste (0;1) _____Quantity (0;1)____Quality (0;1) _____Alcohol Content (0;1) 6. Please check the most appropriate statement that represents your consumption preference (Please only check one): [ ] I consume most of my beer purchases in a bar/restaurant. (1)[ ] I consume most of my beer purchases at home. (2) [ ] I consume most of my beer purchases at parties/events. (3) 7. Are your alcohol purchases influenced by your friend’s purchases?[ ] Yes (1) [ ] No (2)

Survey Con’t 8. What is your class standing at Franklin Pierce:____Freshman (1) ______Sophomore (2) ______Junior (3) ________Senior (4) ______Faculty/Staff (5) 9. Please write in the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend on a 6-pack of beer? ________________ 10. Only answer the following question if you ARE a student: If you currently have a job, where do you work? [ ] On Campus (1) [ ] Off Campus (2) [ ] Both on and off campus (3) [ ] I am unemployed (4)

Survey Con’t 11. Please indicate your gender.[ ] Male (1) [ ] Female (2) 12. Please indicate your age: _____________

Which type of beer do you prefer?

67%

33%

Craft Beer

National Beer Brands

How often do you purchase craft beer?

4%

30%

16%

29%

11%

10%

DailyWeeklyBi WeeklyMonthlyYearlyNever

How often do you purchase national beer brands?

4%22%

11%

31%

15%

17%

DailyWeeklyBi WeeklyMonthlyYearlyNever

How familiar are you with craft beer?

Not familiar Somewhat not familiar Neutral Somewhat familiar Very Familiar

6.9

16.0

22.9

29.2

25.0

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Brand Loyalty

No Yes

67.4

32.6

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Taste

No Yes

15.3

84.7

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Quality

No Yes

39.6

60.4

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Price

No Yes

54.9

45.1

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Quantity

No Yes

79.9

20.1

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Alcohol Content

No Yes

77.8

22.2

What are your reasons for purchasing the beer you prefer?

Beer Advertisement

No Yes

91.7

8.3

Please check the most appropriate statement that represents your

consumption preference

19%

48%

33%

I consume most of my beer purchases in a bar/resterauntI consume most of my beer purchases at homeI consume most of my beer purchases at parties/events

Are your alcohol purchases influenced by your friend’s

purchases?

23%

77%

YesNo

What is your class standing at Franklin Pierce?

5% 20%

30%

45%

SophomoreJuniorSeniorFaculty/staff

Please write in the maximum amount of money you are

willing to spend on a 6-pack of beer

5%11%

13%

9%

31%

13%

13%5%

$6.00$7.00$8.00$9.00$10.00$12.00$15.00$20.00

Only answer the following question if you ARE a student: If

you currently have a job, where do you work?

36%

17%17%

30%

CampusOff campusOn and off campusI am unemployed

Please indicate your gender:

54%

46%

MaleFemale

Please indicate your age:Age Percent Age Percent21 38.9 37 2.1

22 14.6 39 1.4

23 2.1 42 1.4

24 3.5 44 .7

25 1.4 45 2.1

27 .7 47 .7

29 .7 50 1.4

30 1.4 51 1.4

31 .7 52 .7

33 2.1 54 1.4

34 1.4 55 .7

56 .7

57 .7

59 .7

60 4.2

61 2.1

62 .7

64 .7

69 .7

70 .7

71 .7

Total 93.1

System 6.9

100.0

Cross tabulation

Male Female

Craft Beer 49 47 96

National Beer Brands

27 18 45

76 65 141Total

Which type of beer do you prefer? * Please indicate your gender Crosstabulation

CountPlease indicate your

gender

TotalWhich type of beer do you prefer?

Cross tabulation

CampusOff

campusOn and off campus

I am unemploy

ed

Daily 2 1 1 0 4

Weekly 10 6 4 6 26

Bi Weekly 6 2 3 3 14

Monthly 2 3 4 8 17

Yearly 4 1 1 3 9

Never 4 0 0 3 7

28 13 13 23 77

How often do you purchase craft beer? * If you currently have a job, where do you work? Crosstabulation

Count

If you currently have a job, where do you work?

TotalHow often do you purchase craft beer?

Total

Cross tabulation

I consume most of my beer

purchases in a

bar/resteraunt

I consume most of my beer

purchases at home

I consume most of my beer

purchases at

parties/events

Sophomore

1 2 4 7

Junior 2 10 17 29

Senior 10 15 17 42

Faculty/staff

13 41 8 62

26 68 46 140

What is your class standing at Franklin Pierce? * Please check the most appropriate statement that represents your consumption

preference CrosstabulationCount

Please check the most appropriate statement that

TotalWhat is your class standing at Franklin Pierce?

Total

Discussion• Growing craft beer market = more

consumers are purchasing craft beer• 67% of participants prefer craft beer,

33% prefer national beer brands• Majority of participants buy craft

beer weekly + bi-weekly vs. national beer brands which are bought more on a monthly basis

Discussion Con’t• Survey shows that majority of people

are somewhat familiar with craft beer compared to not being familiar (29.2% vs. 6.9%)

• Also second majority of 25% was people who were very familiar with craft beer

Discussion Con’t• Research showed that taste was a

huge factor in making beer purchases (84.7%)

• Supports evidence in lit. review about how consumers are keen about the flavors of their beer

Discussion Con’t• Lit. review = Way craft beers are

produced makes them more expensive and have higher quality. Research reflects this.

• Majority of participants said quality was a factor in making beer purchases (60.4%) and price was not (54.9%). People will pay more for a higher quality.

Conclusion• Survey results concluded that craft

beer was largely preferred over national beer brands. (67% compared to 33%, more than half)

• Survey also concluded that more people are buying craft beer frequently

• Main factors influencing beer purchases: taste and quality

Recommendations • Local stores and the on campus pub

(Raven’s Nest) should offer craft beers in wide varieties for purchase to increase revenues and customer influx

Recommendations Con’t

• The maximum amount of money to sell a six pack of beer for would be $10.00, anything beyond that could sell, but more revenue could be seen from products in the $10.00 range

Recommendations Con’t

• Cut some of the money for beer advertisement and put towards making a higher quality product

• Advertisement was not deemed important factor (91.7%) influencing someone to buy beer, but quality and taste were

• Increase quality, could impact taste, could increase sales

References1. State of the craft beer industry. (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.demetergroup.net/docs/perspective/Craft_Beer.pd2. Craft beer today. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.craftbeer.com/3. A passionate voice for brewers. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.brewersassociation.org4. Industry reports. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ibisworld.com/5. America's beer distributors. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.nbwa.org6. The 20 top selling domestic beers. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/03/top-selling-domestic-beers_n_1846582.html #slide=1454251

7. Mine’s a pint – New England breweries. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.discovernewengland.org/new-england-activities/new-england-breweries/

8. Beer stats. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.californiacraftbeer.com/beer-stats/