Research & Facilities

Our Research Areas

At the Food Market Research Hub, we study decision-making in the agri-food sector—from individual consumer choices to strategic decisions made by businesses and policymakers. Our research explores:

🔹 Consumer Behavior & Food Choice – Understanding how emotions, habits, health and sustainability concerns, and sensory perception influence what people eat.

🔹 Sensory & Market Research – Investigating how taste, texture, informatie, and pricing impact product acceptance and purchasing decisions.

🔹 Technology & Innovation Adoption – Studying how food businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders implement or evaluate new technologies, innovations, and market strategies to drive change in the agri-food system.

🔹 Sustainable & Alternative Foods – Assessing market acceptance and behavioral drivers for plant-based foods, cultured meat, alternative proteins, 3D printed food, biotech food and underutilized crops.

🔹 Novel Research Methods in Food Studies – Exploring the potential of innovative approaches such as VR, eye-tracking, facial expression analysis, behavioural experiments, and qualitative techniques to gain deeper insights into real-world decision-making of agri-food stakeholders.

Our Facilities

We use state-of-the-art research tools to analyze behavior, test food innovations, and support strategic decision-making:

✅ SensoLab – A fully equipped sensory analysis lab with 7 separate booths, in line with ISO 8589. Here, rigorous product testing, expert-led taste profiling, and consumer panel evaluations provide valuable insights into taste perception and product experience.

✅ Insights Lab – A research space combining novel technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), eye-tracking, and facial expression analysis with qualitative and quantitative methods. It supports focus groups, in-depth interviews, and experimental studies to explore consumer behavior and food-related decision-making.

📌 Want to collaborate? Contact us today to explore how our research can support your innovation and decision-making!

Our Experience

At the Food Market Research Hub, we have built a strong track record in national and international research projects, focusing on consumer and stakeholder behavior, food innovation/technology and sustainability. Our expertise spans sensory science, behavioral research, and novel research methods, which we apply across diverse projects in collaboration with academic institutions, policymakers, and industry partners.

We have been actively involved in several international research initiatives, including:

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 Cropdiva – Investigating consumer perceptions and market potential of neglected and underutilized crops to enhance biodiversity and food security.

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 FAIRCHAIN – Studying short food supply chains and how small and mid-sized food businesses can bring innovative and sustainable products to market.

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 SEAFOODTOMORROW – Assessing consumer acceptance and market strategies for sustainable seafood solutions, ensuring future-proof seafood production.

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 SMARTPROTEIN – Exploring consumer attitudes and sensory preferences toward alternative protein sources (e.g., plant-based, fungal, and microbial proteins) to support the transition toward a more sustainable protein system.

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 PROFUTURE – Investigating consumer perception, acceptance of and preference for microalgae protein-rich products, including testing of communication strategies and consumer reactions under real-life conditions.

🔹 EU Horizon 2020 PROMISS – Assessing older consumers’ dietary intake, interest in and reactions towards alternative proteins and protein-enriched foods, including the development and testing of communication strategies to foster protein intake that contribute to environmental sustainability and healthy aging.

In addition to European-funded projects, we frequently collaborate on national research initiatives that focus on consumer behavior, food acceptance, and health- or sustainability-driven innovation.

Furthermore, we actively engage in research projects in the Global South, collaborating with universities, NGOs, and local food industry stakeholders to study sustainable food innovations, consumer and stakeholder behavior in emerging markets, and pathways to food security. These collaborations help bridge knowledge gaps and promote equitable and sustainable food systems worldwide.