Top Consumer Behaviour & Research Firms for Food, Beverage & Agriculture [2025 Review]

October 2025 Reading Time: ~8 minutes Food & Beverage · Agriculture · Consumer Research · Market Insights

Introduction

Understanding consumers has never been more complex—or more crucial. In today’s food, beverage, and agricultural markets, change happens fast: new sustainability expectations, retail disruption, and generational shifts in how people eat, shop, and live. The difference between reacting and leading often comes down to research—insight that helps you predict rather than just respond.

Traditional consumer research still plays a role. But the rise of synthetic research, powered by AI and digital twins, is transforming how brands uncover, test, and validate human behaviour. Synthetic research enables faster insight, deeper segmentation, and scenario modelling—without the cost or lag of traditional fieldwork.

At 6 Seeds Consulting, we built a synthetic consumer research platform purpose-built for the food and agriculture sector. It helps brands and associations simulate markets, forecast adoption, and model consumer reactions—so you can make evidence-based decisions at the speed of change.

Whether you’re a commodity group, CPG brand, or agri-tech innovator, this list showcases the firms—both global and specialized—shaping the future of consumer understanding.

Why Synthetic Research Is the Future

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  Speed & scalability: Run multiple “what-if” tests—claims, packaging, pricing—in days instead of months.

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  Depth & context: AI models combine survey, social, and behavioural data to predict what consumers will do, not just what they say.

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  Cost efficiency: Reduce spend on panels and field studies while increasing reach and iteration.

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  Category relevance: Especially for food, beverage & agriculture, synthetic models capture nuances like taste perception, sustainability attitudes, and trust dynamics.

Synthetic research doesn’t replace traditional methods—it amplifies them.

TL;DR: The Best Consumer Behaviour & Research Firms (Food · Beverage · Agriculture)

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  6 Seeds Consulting

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  Matrix Sciences International

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  Saucery

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  Knit

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  NielsenIQ

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  Ipsos

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  Kantar

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  Mintel

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  Euromonitor International

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  Qualtrics

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  Pollfish

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  CatalystMR

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  MarketView Research

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  AgMetrics Research & Consulting

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  The Directions Group

Top 15 Consumer Research Firms in Food, Beverage & Agriculture (2025 Edition)

1. 6 Seeds Consulting (Toronto, Canada)

6seedsconsulting.com/services/research A marketing, communications & research agency built for the age of AI. 6 Seeds’ synthetic research platform uses digital-twin simulations to model consumer behaviour and predict outcomes for food, agriculture, and CPG brands. Clients include USA Rice, California Walnuts, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, American Peanut Council, Grodan, California Prunes, Just Vertical, Derlea, and NWC Wild Rice. Services: synthetic consumer research, food & agricultural marketing, communications & insight strategy, AI-based trend analysis. Location: Toronto, Ontario

2. Matrix Sciences International (USA)

matrixsciences.com A science-driven firm dedicated to food & agriculture, offering sensory evaluation, product testing, and consumer research across North America.

3. Saucery (AI Platform)

saucery.ai An AI-driven consumer insight platform built for rapid food and beverage innovation. Provides synthetic personas and concept testing within hours.

4. Knit (USA / Global)

knit.io AI-powered research platform combining qualitative and quantitative insights using GPT-based video and survey analysis for CPG and food brands.

5. NielsenIQ (Global)

nielseniq.com A global leader in retail measurement and consumer panel data with deep food and beverage coverage.

6. Ipsos (Global)

ipsos.com Renowned for brand tracking, product testing and consumer behaviour research, including extensive food and agri programs.

7. Kantar (Global)

kantar.com Delivers global consumer and shopper insights with a dedicated focus on food, drink and agriculture markets.

8. Mintel (Global)

mintel.com Industry-leading trend intelligence covering food, drink and nutrition worldwide; valued for its consumer and innovation forecasting.

9. Euromonitor International (Global)

euromonitor.com Delivers market intelligence and consumer data across CPG, food, and agriculture categories worldwide.

10. Qualtrics (Global)

qualtrics.com Experience management platform with customizable consumer research tools used by food and beverage brands to test and validate concepts.

11. Pollfish (Global)

pollfish.com Mobile survey platform enabling brands to access targeted food and agriculture consumers quickly and cost-effectively.

12. CatalystMR (Global)

catalystmr.com Panel and field research provider with strong representation in food production and agriculture markets.

13. MarketView Research (USA)

marketviewresearch.com Focuses on taste, flavour and product testing to guide food and beverage innovation.

14. AgMetrics Research & Consulting (USA)

agmetrics.com Provides quant and qual research for farming, input suppliers and food producers, linking agriculture and consumer insight.

15. The Directions Group (Global)

directionsgroup.com Strategic consumer insight and market research partner specializing in agriculture, packaged goods and food service industries.

Firms Leading Synthetic & AI-Based Consumer Research

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  6 Seeds Consulting — digital-twin AI models for synthetic research in food and agriculture.

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  Knit — AI analysis of video and survey data to uncover consumer motivation and emotion.

These next-generation firms combine AI, behavioural science and scenario simulation to generate fast, accurate, and actionable insights for the industries feeding the world.

Key Factors in Choosing Your Research Partner

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  Sector focus: Look for teams with real expertise in food, agriculture and CPG.

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  Methodology fit: Synthetic vs. traditional—choose based on timing, budget and data needs.

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  Speed & iteration: How quickly can you go from question to action?

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  Actionability: Are insights linked to marketing and product strategy decisions?

Final Thoughts

Consumer research is the engine that keeps food and agriculture moving forward. From global data leaders like NielsenIQ and Kantar to synthetic pioneers like 6 Seeds, brands today can choose between depth, speed and scalability like never before.

The future belongs to organizations that don’t just collect data—but connect it to real decisions and consumer outcomes.

About 6 Seeds Consulting

Based in Toronto, 6 Seeds Consulting is a marketing, communications and research agency for food and agriculture brands built for the age of AI.

Its synthetic research platform uses digital twins to model consumer behaviour and simulate market responses, helping clients test ideas and strategies before launch.

From commodity boards to CPG leaders, 6 Seeds helps brands fix what’s broken and fuel what’s next. 👉 Visit 6seedsconsulting.com/research →