ctrlalt, Author at Wirral Sensory Services

What is a Blind Taste Test?

When conducting consumer testing, blind taste tests are a valuable tool in gathering consumer feedback without being influenced by other factors such as branding, price, packaging etc. In a blind taste test, participants are given products to sample without knowing which brand they are trying. This allows testers to focus purely on the taste, smell, and texture of the product in order to make an unbiased judgement.

Who Carries Out Sensory Testing?

Sensory testing is an integral part of product development in the food and beverage industries. The process helps establish the sensory profile of a product and can identify potential off-flavours or other sensory defects.

5 Elements To Look Out For When Choosing A Consumer Product Testing Company

When carrying out consumer research, the chances are that you’ll need to enlist the services of an experienced consumer testing company to ensure that the process is conducted smoothly and to the highest possible standards. However, with so many different consumer testing companies to choose from, it can be tricky to decipher which one will be the best fit for your brand.

What is Product Optimisation?

No food manufacturer or beverage brand should ever stand still. Even if you currently hold the position of market leader, without continuous and ongoing product optimisation, you will lose the top spot to another brand carrying out this vital exercise.

5 Reasons Why Your Brand Should Commit to Ongoing Product Testing

While sales might be indicative of your product’s performance, how can you really tell if your product is meeting customer expectations and delivering on its promises? Product testing is one of the best ways to dig much deeper into your performance and gain valuable feedback to help you assess and improve your product.

How Home Use Testing Saved One of the World’s Most Successful Products

Back in the early 1990s, the world’s largest consumer goods company, Procter & Gamble, was busy working on a new product. It was a spray that would completely eliminate bad odours. From wet dog stenches to the lingering smell of cigarette smoke, Febreze was meant to become a revolutionary golden-goose product that would bring in billions of dollars of revenue to the company every year. In the end, it did. But only thanks to the intervention of home use testing. So, with that in mind, let’s look at how one of the world’s most successful products nearly didn’t make it.

Should You Ever Rename Your Product?

Renaming a product is something that food and beverage manufacturers consider from time to time. Sometimes it’s the right thing to do. By contrast, there are other circumstances whereby renaming a product is likely to have negative consequences and potential knock-on effects for your wider brand.

Your Quick Guide to Successful Product Claims

Making your product stand out on the shelf is more challenging than ever. With as much as 85% of household shopping derived from repeat purchases, it’s become harder than ever to convince consumers to switch to your food or drink product from their current preferences.

The Four Steps Required for Developing a Winning Product Concept

When developing new products, there’s a massive difference between thinking you have a winning product concept and knowing you do. With extensive product concept testing, you could be pouring significant resources into a project that is doomed from the start.

Why Taste is So Vital for Food Products

Did you know that of 12,000 food product launches across Europe, 76% fail to retain their listing after 12 months? Worse, as many as two-thirds even fail to reach the milestone of 10,000 units sold. If you’re in the final stages of launching a new product or revamping an existing one, those statistics make brutal reading.