Purpose – This paper aims to address the general lack of detailed attention to the value co-creation process
which happens in the consumers’ social environment. The purpose of the paper is to extend prior
understanding on new ways of creating value within an uncertain and complex small business environment
where consumers are increasingly collaborating and constructing value within their own social environment
that is not always visible to entrepreneurs. 

Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected in-depth data from craft beer consumers who
detail consumers’ perspectives on value co-creation within their social context. Discourse analysis is used to
examine the ways in which consumers create value within their social environment. Discourses are generated
through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. 

Findings – The findings reveal that a significant part of value creation happens outside the entrepreneurs’
control. Consumers seek to have social experiences which they want to experience individually but not alone.
Accordingly, the legitimacy of a certain type of consumption creates a basis for consumers’ self-presentations
and situational selves, on which value can be built. 

Originality/value – This study offers new insights into how contemporary consumers work together to
co-create value. In addition, this study answers the call for scholarly attention to consumer-to-consumer value
linkages to gain new understandings of socially constructed value and contemporary consumption behaviour
and reveals how entrepreneurs can benefit from this.