A Qualitative Case Study of Halal Certification as a Trust Signal in Indonesian Muslim Consumers’ Purchase Intentions toward Boocha Booms Kombucha

Abstract

This qualitative exploratory case study examines how 12 Indonesian Muslim consumers interpreted halal certification, trust, and purchase intention toward Boocha Booms, a local kombucha brand that had not obtained formal halal certification during the study period. As a fermented beverage that may contain naturally occurring ethanol traces, kombucha creates halal ambiguity because consumers must assess not only ethanol percentage but also ingredients, production processes, safety, institutional certification, and brand transparency. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, document analysis, and supporting product-verification evidence from a laboratory ethanol test. The laboratory result was treated as contextual documentation rather than as the sole basis for determining halal status. Thematic analysis supported by NVivo identified three interpretive positions among participants: strict rejection of any ethanol trace, conditional acceptance when the product met MUI-related ethanol thresholds and other halal requirements, and unawareness or indifference shaped by the product’s health-oriented image. Trust emerged as an important interpretive mechanism connecting perceived halal assurance, brand transparency, and purchase consideration, rather than as a statistically tested mediator. The findings suggest that formal halal certification, transparent ethanol communication, and consumer education may reduce uncertainty among the studied participants. Because the evidence comes from a small qualitative case study, the findings should be understood as context-specific exploratory insights rather than generalizable claims about all Muslim consumers.