GfK Buys GlobalEDGE for African Expansion

GfK has acquired South African research company GlobalEDGE Marketing Consultants, in a bid to further strengthen its Consumer Experiences offer across Africa. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

GlobalEDGE's quant and qual consumer research includes innovation, segmentation, shopper, sensory and pricing services, and its 'ShopperLINK' consumer panelists use in-home scanning technology to register their household purchases.

The company was founded in 2002 by former Research International SA Research Director Graeme Taylor, and has more recently been led by Bradley and Craig Taylor. It has 51 members of staff, maintains offices in Durban and Johannesburg, and achieved sales of EUR 3.4m in 2011.

GfK said in a statement: 'This acquisition represents an expansion of the regional portfolio of GfK's Consumer Experiences sector, which will be gaining both an experienced team and an exceptional infrastructure for the continued expansion of the consumer panel.'

GlobalEDGE will now be fully integrated into the activities of GfK South Africa, and will offer the entire spectrum of consumer panel analysis services developed by GfK.

Web sites: www.gfk.com and www.gemc.co.za .