(Re)creating authenticity: Local creativity and resources in the production of natural craft sodas in Poland

The market for non-alcoholic drinks is increasingly changing towards healthy craft beverages. The change is characterised by the use of high-quality natural ingredients, with no preservatives or artificial ingredients, which resonates with modern society’s demanding expectations. Natural craft sodas (NCS) offer an opportunity for development for those entrepreneurs who want to make and promote high-quality products while strengthening local resources. Like all craft products, NCS are associated with authenticity. This paper outlines different perspectives on authenticity and identifies authenticity modes that Polish NCS producers create and refer to. Our study used in-depth interviews and a survey. Producers operating in the growing Polish market for NCS create and refer to all 6 modes of authenticity, but to a varying extent. The types of authenticity they emphasise most strongly is material, biographical and procedural authenticity, followed by oppositional and temporal authenticity. Contrary to expectations, geographical authenticity is less emphasised and, to a certain extent, limited to declarations. While NCS are produced based on local resources, the area of their distribution is much larger (national and international in scope).