# Haystack Consulting

> Haystack Consulting is a global market research and consumer insights agency with offices in Heverlee (HQ) and Antwerp, Belgium, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Spirited since 1974. We blend sensory, qualitative and quantitative research, data science and AI-powered capabilities to turn human understanding into clear, actionable business decisions.

Key facts:
- Headquarters: Romeinse straat 4, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium. Phone: +32 16 62 11 58
- Netherlands office: Klaprozenweg 75 C2, 1033 NN Amsterdam. Phone: +31 20 723 42 61
- Antwerp office: Uitbreidingstraat 66, 2600 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Contact: https://www.haystack-consulting.com/lets-talk

## Solutions

- [Communication testing](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/communication-testing): Pre- and post-launch testing of ads, campaigns, and content that measures comprehension, emotional impact, and brand fit across every channel — so your communication cuts through and drives results.
- [Concept Development & Testing](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/concept-development-testing): Turn ideas into winning concepts with structured development and validation processes that stress-test your thinking against real consumer needs before you go to market.
- [Customer & User Experience](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/customer-user-experience): Turn every touchpoint into a wow with end-to-end experience research that combines journey mapping, usability testing, and satisfaction tracking to help you design experiences people love.
- [Expert panel](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/expert-panel): From descriptive profiling to discrimination testing, our panel delivers precise, reproducible,and scientifically robust measurements of what your product actually is — across every sense and every product category.
- [Pack Development & testing](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/packing-development): Design packs that sell themselves, with every decision tested for visual impact, clarity, and shelf performance.
- [Predictive analytics](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/predictive-analytics): Validated machine learning models that turn your existing research data into predictions, simulations, and forward-looking intelligence — without additional fieldwork.
- [Price Strategy](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/price-strategy): Uncover the story your price tells. Find the sweet spot where consumer value meets brand equity and profitability.
- [Product development & testing](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/product-development-testing): Build products people actually want with tailor-made testing setups that combine qualitative, quantitative, and sensory expertise to bring your best product to market.
- [Public & citizens insights](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/public-and-citizens-insights): Robust public opinion and policy research that helps governments, public organisations, and purpose-driven brands understand citizen needs, attitudes, and behaviours — turning insight into decisions that genuinely serve society.
- [Segmentation](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/segmentation): Reach the right people every time with robust segmentation frameworks that combine behavioural, attitudinal, and needs-based data to help you target and activate with precision.
- [Shop along](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/shop-along): Follow real shoppers in store. Combining observation and in-depth interviews to reveal what truly drives attention, emotion, and purchase decisions.
- [Usage & Attitudes (U&A) studies](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/solutions/usage-attitude-u-a-studies): Know why consumers do what they do with in-depth research that maps behaviours, motivations, and attitudes to give you a complete picture of your target audience.

## Methodologies

- [Qualitative Research](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/methodologies/qualitative-research): People are complex. That's why we go beyond what consumers say to understand why they feel it. Our qualitative toolkit uncovers the motivations, tensions, and human stories that numbers alone can't tell.
- [Quantitative Research](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/methodologies/quantitative-research): Numbers show you what is happening. We help you understand what to do about it. Our quantitative toolkit measures consumer behaviour at scale, so the numbers you get back are ones you can actually build on.
- [Sensory Research](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/methodologies/sensory-research): Every product leaves a sensory impression. That's why we measure its taste, texture, aroma, sound, and appearance. Our sensory science turns product attributes into the objective insights that guide better decisions.

## Innovations

- [Digital Twins](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/innovations/digital-twins): AI-powered digital twins that fill missing research data reliably, preserving analytical integrity without slowing you down.
- [HaySense](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/innovations/haysense): Predictive analytics that tells you how much consumers will like a product, before you even test it.
- [Video Research](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/innovations/video-research): Video feedback that captures emotion, nuance, and real human behaviour, embedded directly into your research.
- [Virtual Audiences](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/innovations/virtual-audiences): Get real consumer insight in hours, not weeks, with AI personas built from genuine human behaviour.
- [Treasure Hunt](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/treasure-hunt): A 2-day innovation workshop based on gamification, to explore new horizons and gain insights.
- [Finish First](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/finish-first): A high energy innovation path: test and create concepts with real customers.

## Cases

- [A strategic exploration of quality acceptance and perception in fruit retail](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/a-strategic-exploration-of-quality-acceptance-and-perception-in-fruit-retail): Identifying areas of improvement, devising effective marketing strategies, and ensuring a successful market launch.
- [Lean real-life selection of design with strongest impact](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/design-with-strong-impact): Testing packaging designs in real-life shopping conditions to identify the strongest performer and enable confident decision-making.
- [Dreamfarm: spreading health & sustainability - reinventing plant-based spreads](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/dreamfarm-spreading-health-sustainability-reinventing-plant-based-spreads): Reformulating recipes to achieve a Nutri-Score A without compromising on taste or consumer liking.
- [From MVP to sensory congruent energy drink](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/from-mvp-to-sensory-congruent-energy-drink): Defining sensory attributes, using competitors as stimuli, and developing and optimizing the concept, pack designs, and recipes to launch Heineken's entrance to the market of energy drinks.
- [Haystack Consulting’s sensory consultancy services](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/haystack-consultings-sensory-consultancy-services): Haystack Consulting helps companies build and manage efficient sensory departments by providing setup, training, and ongoing support to ensure reliable insights and sustained success.
- [IKEA – Furnishing the future of single households](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/ikea-furnishing-the-future-of-single-households): A study to improve housing access for vulnerable single-parent families.
- [M Museum](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/m-museum): Combining senses and art to create multi-sensory exhibitions that enrich experiences and evoke emotions.
- [Online beverage consumption tracker](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/online-beverage-consumption-tracker): Helping companies unveil their blind spots. A case on understanding away-from-home beverage consumption.
- [Passenger Satisfaction Research at Brussels Airport](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/passenger-satisfaction-research-at-brussels-airport): Continuously improving products, services, and operations at Brussels Airport to meet passenger demands.
- [Understanding the tourists shaping Belgium’s Art Cities](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/shaping-belgiums-art-cities): Helping Belgium’s Art Cities better understand their visitors to improve the tourist experience and strengthen their long-term appeal.
- [Co-Creating the future of meat-free food](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/the-future-of-meat-free-food): Co-creating consumer-centric innovation platforms to strengthen Quorn’s innovation pipeline and support its growth across Europe.
- [Treasure Hunt](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases/treasure-hunt): Our game challenges teams to look further, dig deeper, and be creative.

## Insights (latest articles)

- [The bad aftertaste of average coffee](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/the-bad-aftertaste-of-average-coffee): Market research that averages across situations describes nobody, because people buy in specific moments with specific needs and a specific set of alternatives in mind. That averaging is why so many trackers and segmentations end up unused: they describe people in general instead of the buying moments you can actually act on. So build the study around situations and triggers from the start. It takes more effort but you get insights you can actually act upon!
- [How do you decide where to invest, when your sales channel options explode?](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/where-to-invest-when-your-sales-channel-options-explode): Shopping is changing in three ways at once: inspiration and buying collapse into one moment, demand increasingly comes from free creators instead of hired ambassadors, and AI is starting to do the discovering and shortlisting for people. The real question is which channels matter for your category and which new shopper behaviour is worth acting on.
- [Discrimination tests done right: The power of the Haystack Discrimination Panel](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/discrimination-tests-done-right): Discrimination testing plays a crucial role in product development, quality control, and reformulation. Yet in practice, not every company has the capabilities to do so. In addition, if the capabilities are there still many companies rely on internal employees to run these tests, often leading to long recruitment times, low engagement, and in the end inconsistent results. At Haystack Consulting, we saw this struggle again and again with our clients. That’s why we developed the Haystack Discrimination Panel: a ready-to-use, always available, always reliable panel of screened consumers, specifically designed to support high-quality discrimination testing.
- [How to get pricing right, faster](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/how-to-get-pricing-right-faster): For years, price increases did the heavy lifting for value growth. That window has closed, and getting pricing wrong now costs you volume and/or trust.
- [Product testing sounds simple. Here's how to avoid costly surprises.](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/product-testing-sounds-simple): Your product test is scheduled. Samples are packed, the timeline is set, everyone is ready to go. Then customs holds your shipment for three weeks, in a country you have never tested in before. Your launch date does not move. This is what product testing looks like once you step outside the spreadsheet. If it were really that simple, everyone would do it. There are reasons why not everyone does, and reasons why Haystack Consulting has been doing product testing for 50 years. These reasons multiply even further when testing goes international.
- [More than 100 visitors. One key question: how do you make better marketing decisions, faster?](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/make-better-decisions-faster): At NIMA Marketing Day 2026, Stefan Peters of Haystack Consulting took the stage with a session that hit close to home for many marketers. Whether you work in B2C or B2B, the pressure is the same: more data, more AI tools, more noise. And yet the big question remains stubbornly hard to answer. What actually works?
- [Stop guessing. Start predicting.](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/stop-guessing-start-predicting): What if you could know how much consumers will like your next product? Before you run a single consumer test. That is exactly what HaySense does. It is a predictive analytics tool built by Haystack Consulting that tells you how consumers in your target segment will respond to any new product. Based on its sensory profile. Not after months of testing, but right now.
- [Why Virtual Communities are giving brands a new competitive advantage](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/virtual-communities-give-brands-a-competitive-advantage): You know the moment. A project has just wrapped up. The insights have been presented, the team is aligned, and everyone is ready to move forward. And then the questions start: “What if we explored another direction?” “How would consumers react to this claim?” “Are we sure this message feels credible?”
- [Digital twins in sensory research](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/digital-twins-in-sensory-research): Keeping insight moving when reality gets in the way. Expert sensory panels are one of the most valuable sources of product intelligence in market research. They help companies understand how products perform, how formulations differ, and where innovation or quality improvements are needed.
- [Future-focused research to navigate change](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/retail-channel-of-the-future): What happens when an entire retail channel is forced to rethink its role for the future? What changes need to be made to retain relevant for future customer journeys (future shopping behaviour)?
- [What works, what doesn’t and why?](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/what-works-what-doesnt-and-why): On June 11, Stefan Peters will take the stage at NIMA Marketing Day with a session built around one key question for marketers: How do you know faster what really works?
- [Ultrafast top-of-the-bill OOH billboards? The right mix of human & AI delivers.](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/ultrafast-top-of-the-bill-ooh-billboards-the-right-mix-of-human-ai-delivers): By using predictive eye tracking, synthetic human in-depth interviews, and the expertise and creativity of our consultants, we are able to make highly targeted recommendations for the best choices and optimizations for OOH billboards in terms of visual simplicity, distinctive brand impact, and creative hierarchy. And we do so faster and more cost-efficiently. You will read exactly how this works later!
- [When traditional tracking isn’t enough: Using Virtual Audiences to understand the FMCG shopper](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/when-traditional-tracking-isnt-enough-using-virtual-audiences-to-understand-the-fmcg-shopper): Recent reports show FMCG growth has been driven mainly by price increases, while real consumption remains weak. As inflation stabilizes, this dynamic is fading, and future growth will depend on increased usage, purchase frequency, and stronger category relevance. Meanwhile, consumer behaviour has shifted: shoppers are downtrading, buying smaller baskets, and adopting lasting value-seeking habits. Private labels and discounters continue to gain ground, reinforcing price-driven competition. For brands, this means growth can no longer rely on pricing alone but must come from genuine demand creation and better alignment with today’s shopping habits. Imagine that your brand tracker would show situational drivers of behaviour.
- [Why consumer closeness can’t wait](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/why-consumer-closeness-cant-wait): In a world overflowing with dashboards, sales data, AI and trend reports, one thing is still surprisingly rare: real human understanding. In my experience brands can know a great deal about consumers on paper, yet still miss what truly drives choice, relevance and growth in everyday life. That is why a consumer closeness program matters so much. It helps teams move beyond assumptions and reconnect with the people behind the numbers.
- [From category review to commercial impact](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/from-category-review-to-commercial-impact): As organisations enter planning season, category reviews play a central role in shaping next year’s priorities. Significant time and resources are invested to understand market dynamics, consumer behaviour and competitive positioning. However, the real challenge is not insight generation. It is decision-making.
- [FUEL your symphony of senses with Try & Tell©](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/fuel-your-symphony-of-senses-with-try-tell): A product is never experienced through just one sense. Sight, touch, sound, smell and taste all come together into one multisensorial product experience. When all those sensory signals line up, the experience feels smooth, high-quality and memorable, like a true symphony of senses. However, when one of them misses the mark, the whole experience can feel off. Traditional questionnaires tell part of that story. Our video platform Try & Tell© helps us capture the rest. Through self-recorded consumer videos, we observe real product experiences at scale, as they happen, in a selected or deliberately not selected context, from first impressions to practical frustrations and delights.
- [From snapshots to journeys: Why temporal sensory methods matter more than ever](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/from-snapshots-to-journeys-why-temporal-sensory-methods-matter-more-than-ever): Consumers don’t experience products in a single moment. They experience them over time. From the first bite or sip to the lingering aftertaste, sensory perception is dynamic. Increasingly, our clients recognize this reality and ask deeper questions: How does flavour develop? When does bitterness peak? What happens after repeated consumption? This growing interest in dynamic measurements marks a shift in sensory thinking, recognising that static measurements alone no longer capture how product experience evolves over time. To truly understand how products perform in real life, temporal sensory methods are becoming essential.
- [From visibility to meaning: what brands must get right at the olympics](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/from-visibility-to-meaning-what-brands-must-get-right-at-the-olympics): I went to Milan expecting Paris. That was my mistake. Two years ago, I attended the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Paris was electric. The city itself was the stage. The Olympics were everywhere — on the Seine, under the Eiffel Tower, in the streets. Last week, I landed in Milan expecting something similar. I didn’t find it. Milan is iconic. Elegant. Cultural. But the Winter Games — largely happening in the mountains — don’t spill into the city the same way. There’s no constant buzz. No mass street gatherings. No collective roar like during a World Cup. At first, it felt flat. Then I realised: maybe I was looking for the wrong thing.
- [Winning with people](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/winning-with-people): At MIE 2026 we stood on stage twice with a simple belief. In a world that is rapidly digitising, speeding up and automating almost everything… you still win with people. Not dashboards. Not models. Not prompts. People. And yes — that includes digital people too.
- [Fond About Fonts](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights/fond-about-fonts): Here’s a new Senstory! Senstories are short, useful snippets of inspiration. This time all about Fonts & Consistency. And all the truly sensational things (think activations, think Growth) you can achieve, if you take the time. I think this is a textbook example. Hats off to Haribo!

## Company

- [About Haystack Consulting](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/about): Who we are, our values and history.
- [Sustainability charter](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/sustainability): Our commitment aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- [Careers](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/careers): Open positions and spontaneous applications.
- [Contact](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/lets-talk): Offices, phone numbers and contact persons.

## Optional

- [All insights](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/insights)
- [All cases](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/cases)
- [Privacy policy](https://www.haystack-consulting.com/privacy-policy)