IRI Acquires Chinese MR Firm Datasea

Retail and healthcare data giant Information Resources Inc (IRI) has acquired Chinese MR and analytics services company Datasea, which focuses on the retail and CPG industries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Datasea has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jinan, supported by a nationwide service network. The firm provides customer research, brand research, satisfaction and loyalty programs, new product testing, advertising impact evaluation, and advises on distribution strategy. Clients include CPG manufacturers and retailers, as well as companies in related industries including service restaurants (QSRs) and cosmetics.

The two companies' consulting and analytics services will now be integrated to offer advanced analytics and consumer and shopper marketing solutions to Chinese manufacturers and retailers. The firms will also initiate a series of 'retail gateway' programs, designed to support retailers' performance, basket analytics, pricing and promotion, assortment strategy and shopper targeting - with a number of other services due for addition shortly.

Datasea was founded in 1996 by Lyu Liangming, who says his firm is eager to provide its clients with the analytics, products and solutions that IRI offers worldwide, while sharing its knowledge of the Chinese market. Andrew Appel, IRI President and CEO, adds: 'The agreement represents the most recent execution of IRI's commitment to dramatically increase our geographic footprint to meet the global market research needs of our clients. It also complements other facets of IRI's direction, including expanding our data assets and leveraging this data with advanced analytics, plus consumer and shopper marketing services that enable our clients to achieve sustained levels of more rapid growth.'

Web sites: www.iriworldwide.com and www.datasea.net .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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