Entrepreneurship

Authenticity as a resource for entrepreneurship and tourism: the case of the beer boom in Switzerland

Beer entrepreneurship and tourism

Entrepreunership

Start & End Date

01/09/2018 - 31/05/2020

Main Applicant

Cruz, M., EHL Hospitality Business School

External Funding

HES-SO

Project Description

This project aims at exploring the role of authenticity in (i) facilitating the founding of new organizations, and (ii) enhancing the potential of entrepreneurial regions to become attractive tourism destinations. By testing our arguments within the context of the rising beer industry in Switzerland, this project aims at shedding light at the factors influencing beer entrepreneurship in Switzerland and the attractiveness of tourism destinations.

Scientific Output

Bivona, E., & Cruz, M. (2021). Can business model innovation help SMEs in the food service sector during COVID-19? British Food Journal, 123(11), 3638-3658. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2020-0643

EHL Blog

Coronavirus Boosts Innovation in the Beer Industry

According to GastroSuisse, alcoholic beverages are the second most important source of revenue for restaurants (20% of the total turnover), and beer alone constitutes a steady seven percent (7%) of the turnover made in an average Swiss restaurant. Restaurants and pubs are the main distribution channel for over 1200 breweries, Swiss supermarkets are only the second choice of purchase for beer consumers. While 65% of all breweries in the country heavily rely on local events, restaurants and bars for the distribution of their products, home delivery is usually only an option for the largest ones. With closed restaurants and bars, and events cancelled throughout the country, the coronavirus crisis is putting the beer industry in a tight spot.

Covid19 breweries

Beer Tourism: Tasting the Beer Boom in Switzerland

With the exponential growth of the beer industry in Switzerland over the past decade, beer tourism has emerged as a tourist activity in its own right across many cantons. Craft breweries showcasing their beer together with local members of the community have set up beer hiking tours where tourists walk around stunning Swiss landscapes, tasting local beers, meeting local brewers and enjoying the local food. Highly attractive to beer aficionados, beer tourism is becoming an interesting experiential activity in Switzerland where tourists combine leisure and discovery.

beer-tourism

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