Peer-reviewed evidence
Owners judge differently from pets
Owners’ liking of a dry dog food was driven mainly by kibble colour and appearance, not by what the dog ate.
What we do
Owner impressions are collected separately from measured intake.
Manufacturing & Launch · Consumer & Market Research
Consumer and market research, before you commit to a product.
Pet-parent research, concept testing, in-home product tests and category analysis — so the product you develop is one buyers and their pets will choose.
What We Do
Consumer & Market Research services.
From pilot batch to retail shelf — through Guires PNL and our network of GMP-certified partner manufacturers.
Category & competitor analysis
Products, prices, claims and gaps mapped in your target market.
Pet-parent surveys
What owners look for, what they pay and what makes them switch.
Concept testing
Product ideas, claims and positioning tested before development.
In-home use tests
Owner-reported acceptance and satisfaction through partner panels.
Claims comprehension
Checks that owners understand claims as intended.
Launch insight
Findings turned into a product brief and a launch plan.
Scientific Challenges
What we solve for.
01
Owners and pets disagree
Owners’ liking can be driven by appearance rather than what the pet eats.
02
Panels differ
Kennel and home panels can give different results for the same food.
03
Claims that land
A claim must be understood by owners and supported by evidence.
04
Crowded categories
Gaps have to be found with data, not assumptions.
How We Work
From question to evidence.
Question
Decision the research must inform.
Design
Method and sample chosen.
Field
Surveys, tests and panels run.
Analyse
Results analysed and compared.
Interpret
Implications for the product.
Brief
Findings turned into a brief.
Evidence
The science behind our approach.
Peer-reviewed findings that shape how we design and interpret this work.
Peer-reviewed evidence
Kennel and home can disagree
Kennel and home dogs agreed on canned foods but differed on semi-moist and dry foods, linked to feeding history.
What we do
We use controlled expert panels for development decisions, and flag when real-home data would add confidence before launch.
Regulation & guidance
Vets ask about research
WSAVA advises vets to ask whether manufacturers conduct studies and publish them in peer-reviewed journals.
What we do
We help brands build a publishable evidence base.
- GuidanceWSAVA 2021
Deliverables
What you take away.
- Category and competitor map
- Pet-parent survey results
- Concept and claims test results
- In-home use test report
- Product brief based on the findings
Other manufacturing & launch services
Applications
Functional nutrition we build into consumer & market research.
Each application has its own page with the evidence, the actives and the claim boundaries we work within.
Digestive Health
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Firm stools, comfortable digestion and a balanced gut microbiome.
Weight Management
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Lighter, more satisfying diets that help pets reach and keep a healthy weight.
Calm & Behaviour
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Nutrition that supports calm behaviour during stressful moments.
Longevity & Healthy Ageing
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Helping pets stay healthy for longer.
Ingredient science for consumer & market research
Every ingredient we choose for consumer & market research is assessed for nutrient contribution, digestibility, processing behaviour, palatability and the rules in your market — and sourced to your specification.
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Insightsimages/article-8.jpg · 1600×1200
Market insights from Guires PNL scientists
Regulation updates, the latest research, recalls and market trends that shape pet consumer research — written by our formulation, testing and regulatory teams.
FAQs
Common questions.
Do you test with real pets?
Yes — in-home use tests and palatability panels run through partner panels with independent ethics approval.
Which markets can you research?
India, the US, the EU, the UK, Australia and other markets on request.
Who owns the research?
Clients own their project data and results.
Planning consumer & market research?
Tell us your product, your question and your market — our scientists will come back with a study design and next steps.
FEDIAFAAFCO
Every Guires PNL product is formulated to comply with the FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines and the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Neither body issues certificates to manufacturers, so compliance is verified independently against their published standards — and every product comes with a complete documentation package for regulatory submissions in the EU, US, Australia and Asian markets.
How we verify compliance →