Foods considered ethnic are produced and consumed in a specific region. As well it has been documented that consumers expresses fear of the intention of eating new foods. Furthermore, the perception of the Mexican consumers toward ethnic foods has been scarcely studied. The aim of this work was to explore the perception toward Sende-a traditional ethnic Mazahua beverage of low alcoholic content, produced from germinated corn, dried, cooked and fermented-using word association (WA) and Food Neophobia Scale (FNS). A questionnaire was designed and applied to 160 people in a locality in Central Mexico where, traditionally, this beverage is produced. The mean of FNS was 26.70, which suggests that food neophobia level in the sample under study was low. Through WA, 13 categories were obtained which reflect the perception toward the beverage. By means of cluster analysis, three groups were obtained, which presented differences in FNS and the categories obtained through WA. These results may serve to promote and foster the consumption of traditional ethnic foods, which are not familiar for the population, this with a view to increasing the number of new producing establishments, improving profitability and developing the local economy. Practical applications There is a wide range of traditional ethnic foods in Mexico. However, many are unknown to the population and are falling in disuse, which could lead to their disappearance. The results of this work might help local producers or institutions from different regions of the country to promote their gastronomic heritage, particularly their traditional ethnic foods. Furthermore, this research shows that young people may be more interested in trying and consuming this type of food products. In that sense, campaigns to promote and disseminate ethnic foods could focus on this consumer sector considering their levels of acceptance or rejection when consuming little known or non diet food products. 1 | INTRODUCTION Food is a fundamental part of any society's culture. The relation between edible natural resources and technological development has evolved and influenced what we eat, the way our foods are obtained and the methods to prepare them (Meléndez & Cañez, 2010). Each country or region configures food characteristics on the basis of cultural components associated with the individuals' consumption patterns which, gradually, become their traditional cuisine. Traditional foods are part of a cultural model, as they comprise ancestral culinary

Purpose Pulque is a fundamental piece in the Mexican gastronomy and identifying consumers’ perception could help promote it and generate new opportunities of commercialization. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the underlying factors that influence consumers’ perception toward pulque, and second, to identify groups of consumers according to their perception. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was designed and applied to 220 consumers within points of sales. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to identify different groups of consumers. Findings By means of EFA three factors were obtained: traditionality, bad reputation of pulquerías and functional beverage. In order to identify different consumption patterns among consumers, HCA was performed and three groups were identified: traditional, neo-consumers and neo-consumers in transition. The groups identified showed significant differences in their perception. Practical implications Pulque has recently gained interest in various consumer sectors, mainly among young consumers, who are consuming and promoting the beverage these days. In this sense, the results of this work could be used for its promotion and consumption in order to attract more consumers and make a contribution to the development of local economies. Originality/value This is the first work in Mexico to explore the perception of consumers toward pulque: the most important traditional fermented beverage in Central México. Results of this research suggest the appearance of a revaluation process among young consumers, more informed and with greater sensitivity toward traditional Mexican food, particularly in the case of pulque. Likewise, these results could be useful for producers and sellers to carry out commercial strategies and promote the drink.