MSTS Integrated with Marketing Sciences

In the UK, sensory panel company MSTS is being integrated with product development specialists Marketing Sciences. Both are part of the Insight Division of UK marketing services group Creston.

MSTS has a panel of around 100 testers, chosen for their sensory abilities, and has created a database of consumer respondents (around 3,000 members) for use in further studies. The panel is used to profile food and drink products using the industry standard Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) method, conducted in its in-house sensory testing laboratory. Normally, this will involve using between 40 and 60 attributes to describe the products under test.

Creston says that this initiative will enable Marketing Sciences to provide a complete product innovation and evaluation service.

Marketing Sciences MD Keith Bates comments: 'This move will enable us to provide existing clients of MSTS with a broader range of services, backed by the expertise and resources of Marketing Sciences. Equally, our own clients will now have direct access to sensory testing expertise through their existing contacts here.'

In addition, Marketing Sciences and Creston-owned CML Research, have appointed Jo Storry as Group Research Director, tasked with making best use of qualitative expertise across both companies.

Web sites: www.creston.com , www.msts.co.uk and www.marketing-sciences.com .