What motivates Czech and International “Millennial-aged” university students to consume craft beers?

An interesting subset of Millennials are university students. The study investigates motivations to drink craft beers in a sample of Czech and International university students in Prague (Czech Republic). Design/methodology/approach - Adopting a revised model of the Theory of Planned Behavior, a simultaneous equations model was used by performing a 3-stage least squares (3SLS) regression. The data were obtained from three hundred and five students aged between 18 and 35 (152 Czechs and 153 Internationals) at the Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS), who completed a face-to-face interview using a questionnaire. Findings - The findings confirm the major role played by self-identity on the intention to drink craft beers, in the whole sample, and the key role played by the perception of being able to drink, for the Czechs participants only. Attitudes and social pressure towards craft beer consumption are of secondary importance, whereas the desire for uniqueness is not a relevant aspect in the participants’ decision of drinking craft beers. Originality/value - The study deepened the Theory of Planned Behavior by incorporating consumers’ self-identity and the desire for unique consumer products as additional constructs to explain the intention of drinking craft beers. Given the long tradition of brewing in the Czech Republic, and its significant role in the global marketplace, the understanding of local and foreign Millennials’ intention to drink craft beers would contribute to increase knowledge on consumer behaviour, bringing beneficial effects to the brewing sector. Further research developments, within the context of handcrafted food consumption, stem from the discussion of the theoretical implications.