The Challenge
In the gourmet category, choosing a good cheese isn’t just about designation or origin. Consumers may have very different preferences — even for products considered “excellent” in their country of origin.
This distributor, specializing in high-quality European cheeses, wanted to introduce new references without relying solely on supplier suggestions or internal assumptions.
The challenge: How to ensure the selected cheeses would actually resonate with their main local market?
The Solution
A blind sensory evaluation was designed with regular gourmet consumers:
- Anonymous tasting of French, Italian, and Spanish cheeses (no branding or origin information)
- Structured sensory evaluation of key attributes: intensity, texture, aroma, aftertaste
- Analysis of overall acceptance and purchase intent
- Measurement of emotional association with quality and authenticity
- Comparative dashboard with insights by country and cheese type
The Results
The analysis revealed meaningful differences in perception depending on cheese origin. Some highly regarded references in their native countries caused confusion or rejection due to strong aftertaste or dry texture.
This allowed the team to:
- Select products with better cultural and sensory alignment
- Discard two options that would have underperformed commercially
- Optimize their gourmet offer with confidence and real consumer data
- Reinforce their identity as careful curators of premium products
With Sensesbit, supplier selection was no longer a gamble — it became a strategic decision based on real perception and market potential.
