Participant in product test at Het Smaakhuis

Expert in Taste & Experience

Consultancy
Foodcare

Optimising product experience

How do consumers truly experience your product? We map the sensory experience in detail using consumer research, expert panels and instrumental measurements. This helps you discover what works, what can be improved, and how to enhance appreciation, brand perception and repeat purchases. Our insights help you optimise not just taste, but the entire product experience.

Customer inquiries we assist with

Clients often approach us with questions about how their product performs sensorially and where there are opportunities to enhance that experience, such as:

  • How do consumers experience my product sensorially?

  • What product features drive this experience?

  • What should we adjust to improve taste, texture or visual appeal?

From first impressions to repeat purchase

Why would a consumer choose your product a second time? Often, the difference lies in the details: slightly creamier, a more appealing aroma or a finer texture. Sensory optimisation is all about refining that sensory experience. Not based on gut feeling, but on insight.

We map both the sensory experience and the measurable product performance. This involves combining research into consumer preferences and perceptions with analytical work by expert panels and supporting laboratory measurements. If required, we share the results via an interactive dashboard with insights at every level — from specific sensory characteristics to the overall product and even across categories. This will help you discover where there is room for improvement and how best to realise it.

Our approach

Depending on your question, we combine consumer-level measurements, expert scores and instrumental data. Our approach is modular, flexible and integrated, so you get exactly the insights relevant to your situation.

Among other things, we bet on:

  • Quantitative consumer research: measure appreciation and acceptance of taste, smell, texture and appearance, giving you insight into consumer preferences and areas for improvement.

  • Qualitative consumer research: dive deeper into the 'why' behind the experience so you understand what really drives consumers.

  • Sensory research with expert panel: receive objective and detailed sensory profiles that reveal the unique characteristics of your product.

  • Instrumental measurements: capture physicochemical and structural parameters and link them to perception and quality.

Participant in product test at Het Smaakhuis

Where can you enhance the experience of your product?

We will help you with insights that show what works, what can be improved and how to increase appreciation and repeat purchases.
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What you can expect from us

You will receive insights aimed at enhancing the sensory quality and experience of your product, such as:

  • Taste and experience profiles: showing how consumers experience your product and where its distinctive characteristics lie.

  • Objective measurements of product properties: substantiated evidence for optimisation and quality assurance.

  • Comparisons with competitors or previous variants: insight into relative performance and potential for improvement.

  • Targeted advice for product modifications or variant development: concrete tools to increase perception and appreciation.

The result

With Normec, you discover where the opportunities for sensory improvement are and how to make the most of them. This way, you develop products that not only score better in terms of taste and experience, but are also more strongly appreciated, more often repurchased and better positioned in the market.

Discover our additional solutions

Leading companies in this service

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Product experience goes beyond taste alone. It includes scent, texture, appearance and the overall sensory experience. This experience largely determines appreciation, brand perception and repeat purchases.

We combine consumer research, expert panels and instrumental measurements. This way, you not only discover how your product is perceived, but also which features drive the experience and where opportunities for improvement lie. We also make the results transparent via our market data and (future) dashboards, so you can always put your product's performance in the right context.

An expert panel objectively uncovers the sensory properties of your product. This allows you to see what unique features you can highlight, as well as what the areas for improvement are.

Quantitative research shows what consumers think, while qualitative research provides insight into why they think that way. Together, they provide a complete picture of appreciation and drivers.

Yes. Benchmarks and comparisons show how your product scores against previous variants and competing products. This provides concrete tools to enhance distinctiveness.

By providing insight into the details that consumers care about – such as creaminess, scent profile or texture – you can optimise in a targeted way. This enhances appreciation and increases the likelihood of consumers choosing your product again.

Please don't hesitate to contact us. Together, we determine which methods suit your product and development phase. You will receive a tailor-made plan and guidance, from research to advice.

Curious how Normec can accelerate your product development?

Get in touch and find out how we turn data, research and strategy into clear direction, so you can move forward with confidence.
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