Food taste testing is an effective way of finding out what consumers like and dislike and what innovations and product variations have the best chance of success. 

Standing out, keeping customers, and winning new ones in intensively competitive food categories requires companies to constantly innovate and find ways to appeal to changing consumer tastes. Consumers are always interested in what’s new. More choices, healthier options, convenience and flavor excitement drive product launches. 

Well-designed and well-executed taste tests provide information on formulations, packaging, pricing, and marketing messages. They give companies insights into what is most likely to succeed in the marketplace, reducing risks and potentially boosting the return on investment. 

Choosing the right taste test methodology: Your options and the pros and cons of each

Taste testing methodologies have evolved in response to what researchers need to learn, the amount of control they need, and how broadly to apply the results. Below are the most often used food sensory evaluation methods for uncovering taste preferences and capturing reactions to packaging, pricing, and advertising messages.

Central location testing (CLT)

One of the most commonly used methodologies for taste testing and new product evaluation is the central location test. Researchers recruit consumers to a convenient place like a shopping mall or dedicated market research center. Testing typically starts with a blind taste test where consumers sample the products without seeing brand names, labels, packaging, or advertising. This approach reduces bias and makes it possible to compare products fairly. Taste testing often compares the company’s new product and competing products. Consumers typically rate the options in a survey. A second phase of product testing after the blind taste test is sometimes included to explore consumer reactions to packaging, pricing, and messaging.

Pros:

• Potential to recruit large sample sizes for strong statistical confidence
• Testing conditions are controlled
• Makes it possible to directly compare products

Cons:

• Requires significant planning and logistics
• Higher costs

Focus group taste tests

This method brings together small groups of consumers to a dedicated research facility for in-depth discussions about products. Participants sample foods and then engage in a guided discussion about their reactions and feelings. They are often used before fielding a large quantitative study to uncover consumer reactions and explore why they reacted that way. The results can be useful for reformulating products, changing how they are presented, and guiding messaging. They can also be used to design large-scale quantitative taste research.

Pros:

• Provide detailed feedback
• Understand the “why” behind opinions and reactions
• Can explore emotions and motivations
• Easier to field 
• Cost-efficient

Cons:

• Sample sizes are small, so results cannot be projected to the full population
• Groupthink is a potential risk if not designed well and professionally led

In-home use tests (IHUT)

Consumers prepare and use products in their own homes rather than in the controlled environment of a research facility or the bustle of a shopping area or street. Researchers ship products directly to consumers’ homes or they direct consumers what to buy locally. In addition to providing insights based on a realistic view of how consumers use products, they are also ideal for getting feedback on repeated use over time. 

Pros:

• Get real-world feedback
• Track opinions over time
• See how products fit into daily life and routines

Cons:

• Less supervision means less control over preparation and use
• Participants may not follow the test instructions
• Logistics make this method time-consuming and expensive
• Results are highly dependent on participants following the process

What makes for a good food taste test market?

When companies seek to capture the opinions of a broad mix of consumers, markets with large, diverse populations have the advantage. To capture regional differences, many researchers conduct food taste testing in several locations. For national products, researchers may select large, diverse markets that provide geographic and demographic coverage, such as:

• New York City: Diverse population and strong representation of many consumer groups
• Los Angeles: Large, diverse market with consumers from many backgrounds
• Chicago: Strong Midwest representation
• Miami: Diverse market with a large Hispanic population
• Atlanta: Represents many Southeastern consumers
• Dallas and Houston: Large Southern markets
• San Francisco: Diverse market with a strong presence of technology and health-focused consumers

Getting results: Taste test evaluation methods

Analyzing results is key to getting accurate and useful insights. Researchers employ several methods:

A/B testing

Consumers compare two products and indicate which they prefer or which performs better on specific attributes.

Conjoint analysis

Reveals how consumers value different product attributes and combinations of attributes, helping researchers understand which features have the greatest influence on purchase decisions.

Preference mapping

This approach links product characteristics to consumer liking scores and helps identify what appeals to different groups of consumers.

Just-about-right

Researchers measure reactions to specific product attributes, such as sweetness, saltiness, flavor intensity, or texture, by asking consumers to rate whether each attribute is too low, too high, or at the right level.

After the taste test: What’s next?

Taste testing is a first step in bringing new products or product innovations to market. Companies may need to additional research on: 

• Market demand
• Packaging
• Messaging
• Pricing
• Distribution channels

For statistically valid results that deliver decision-ready insights with high confidence, these follow-on studies should be large scale quantitative surveys, usually involving 1,000 respondents or more. 

Taste tests and advertising claims 

Taste tests don’t just provide insights into what to bring to market and how. They can also give marketers ideas for what to say. Companies may wish to make claims like: 

• “Preferred over leading brands”
• “Best tasting”
• “Chosen by consumers”

To be valid, companies need to invest in large sample sizes that include representative consumers and that use sound statistical methods. These claim support studies have strict standards and are typically undertaken as a separate project from the initial taste tests. 

From taste test to market success

A successful new product launch or innovation begins with understanding what consumers want. The goal is to find out whether consumers like a product, but more importantly why they like it, what could make it better, and whether enough consumers will choose it to make it a success.

Taste testing early in the product development and launch planning process provides a solid foundation for success. Good planning, the right methods, and a sample size large enough to provide statistical confidence all support reliable results. 

While a launch is a good start, there’s still learning and improving to be done to make sure a promising product continues to appeal to consumers. After the launch, follow-up research can show how the product lived up to the promise of the taste test and can provide lessons learned for ongoing success. 

Frequently asked questions 

What is food taste testing?

Food taste testing is a form of consumer research that measures how people respond to a food or beverage product. Consumers may evaluate flavor, texture, aroma, appearance, overall liking, and purchase intent. Companies use the results to improve products, compare them with competitors, and make better decisions before launch.

What are the different types of food taste tests?

The three common approaches are central location tests, focus group taste tests, and in-home use tests. Central location tests provide controlled conditions and allow researchers to collect feedback from larger samples. Focus groups provide detailed feedback and help explain why consumers react to a product in a certain way. In-home use tests show how consumers experience a product in their normal environment and over repeated use.

How many people do you need for a food taste test?

The right sample size depends on the research goals, target population, and level of statistical confidence required. Smaller groups can provide useful qualitative insights, while larger samples are needed when a company wants to project results to a broader population. For national quantitative research, companies may use samples of 1,000 or more respondents.