Bellwether Expands with Restaurant Insights Merger

Restaurant branding agency Bellwether Food Group has merged with sector-specific market research agency Restaurant Insights, in order to provide a 'one stop shop' for the foodservice and retail sectors. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2000 by former Denny's consumer researcher Fred Efird (pictured), Columbus, SC-based Restaurant Insights provides a range of services for the restaurant sector, including ad copy research, competitive intelligence, employee satisfaction studies, franchisee surveys and new product concept screening. As well as using online and mobile technology for web-based surveys, the company provides a full range of traditional telephone, on-site and qual solutions.

Restaurant Insights will now be re-named Bellwether Food Group, and the combined firm will provide a wider scope of services, from brand performance and relevancy studies, to brand due diligence and customized in-depth consumer research.

Efird comments: 'As we began to talk about this a few months ago, it became crystal clear that together we were much better equipped to help our clients grow their businesses by providing a broader range of actionable insights. We'll be a much stronger company with greater resources than as individual firms.'

Following the merger, which is due to complete on April 1, the combined firm will maintain offices in Boston, MA; Columbia, SC; Dallas, TX; and Asheville, NC.

Web site: www.bellwetherfoodgroup.com and www.restaurantinsights.com .