What sets a supplier apart? Sensory benchmarking as a strategic tool in private label sourcing

Supermarkets

Industry

Retail & Foodservice

CHALLENGE

A major retailer needed to choose the best supplier for its new private label hummus. All candidates met the technical specs—so how to pick the one that truly resonates with consumers?

RESULTS

The retailer identified the supplier with the most preferred sensory profile among real consumers. This allowed the team to justify the choice internally with objective data and avoid decisions based solely on cost or spec sheets.

“All the suppliers ticked the boxes, but we had no idea which one would truly stand out to the consumer. This evaluation gave us clear arguments to decide—without endless debate.”

Private Label Purchasing Manager

National supermarket chain

The Challenge

When launching a new private label product, retailers know technical and price specs aren’t always enough.
In this case, several suppliers offered hummus with nearly identical claims: same ingredients, same quality standards… but not necessarily the same sensory impact.

The team needed a tool to:

  • Compare samples from the consumer’s point of view

  • Measure key attributes like texture, balance, intensity

  • Identify which one would perform best against category leaders

  • Back up the final decision with data, not opinion

  • Reduce the risk of launching a poorly received product

The Solution

The retailer used Sensesbit to conduct a structured sensory benchmark between three supplier options.

This allowed them to:

  • Define key sensory attributes for the category: creaminess, intensity, natural taste, aftertaste, balance

  • Run a consumer test with frequent hummus buyers

  • Capture results directly into the platform with comparative visualizations

  • Analyze statistical differences in preference and attribute performance

  • Justify supplier selection not just by cost, but by proven sensory performance

  • Document the entire decision process for future sourcing rounds

  • Launch routine in-plant control: quick sensory scoring via tablet, with automatic alerts triggered by deviations in smell or touch

The Results

This approach allowed the retailer to make a more confident, consumer-centric purchasing decision.
They avoided lengthy internal debates over “technically similar” products and focused instead on what truly matters: customer perception.

The chosen supplier not only delivered on price and specs—but also offered the best validated sensory experience.

The process is now being adopted as a standard in future private label launches, especially in categories where taste, texture, or sensory quality are critical.
Sensesbit enabled the team to move from intuition-based sourcing to decisions backed by structured, replicable, and defensible data.

👉 Ready to get better sensory solutions?

GET A DEMO

The Challenge

When launching a new private label product, retailers know technical and price specs aren’t always enough.
In this case, several suppliers offered hummus with nearly identical claims: same ingredients, same quality standards… but not necessarily the same sensory impact.

The team needed a tool to:

  • Compare samples from the consumer’s point of view

  • Measure key attributes like texture, balance, intensity

  • Identify which one would perform best against category leaders

  • Back up the final decision with data, not opinion

  • Reduce the risk of launching a poorly received product

The Solution

The retailer used Sensesbit to conduct a structured sensory benchmark between three supplier options.

This allowed them to:

  • Define key sensory attributes for the category: creaminess, intensity, natural taste, aftertaste, balance

  • Run a consumer test with frequent hummus buyers

  • Capture results directly into the platform with comparative visualizations

  • Analyze statistical differences in preference and attribute performance

  • Justify supplier selection not just by cost, but by proven sensory performance

  • Document the entire decision process for future sourcing rounds

  • Launch routine in-plant control: quick sensory scoring via tablet, with automatic alerts triggered by deviations in smell or touch

The Results

This approach allowed the retailer to make a more confident, consumer-centric purchasing decision.
They avoided lengthy internal debates over “technically similar” products and focused instead on what truly matters: customer perception.

The chosen supplier not only delivered on price and specs—but also offered the best validated sensory experience.

The process is now being adopted as a standard in future private label launches, especially in categories where taste, texture, or sensory quality are critical.
Sensesbit enabled the team to move from intuition-based sourcing to decisions backed by structured, replicable, and defensible data.

👉 Ready to get better sensory solutions?

GET A DEMO