As microcervejarias da região do médio Paraíba fluminense como possíveis vetores de desenvolvimento regional

The economic activities that take advantage of the endogenous assets of a local or region are understood as vectors of regional development. The main objective of this article is to understand how the segment of microbreweries in the Middle Paraiba Fluminense Region is characterized in order to evaluate its performance in regional development. For this, the companies associated with CERVASUL, an association of artisan brewers in the region, were surveyed. The research is characterized as qualitative and quantitative. As a data collection technique, structured questionnaires were applied to a sample of companies in the sector, and in-depth interviews were conducted with a subsample of company managers. This work presents an overview of the beer sector and its penetration in the national market and performs the characterization of the microbrewery sector in the state of Rio de Janeiro, more specifically in the Region of the Middle Paraiba Fluminense, based on the primary data obtained in the research. As a result, micro-breweries are becoming agents of regional development not only for brewing, but also for promoting tourism in the region and creating brewing events, which promotes regional articulation from this economic activity. It is concluded that regional-based activities enhance regional development by highlighting the endogenous characteristics of the territory.