Savanta Buys Shopper Specialist Explorer Research

Savanta has announced the acquisition of North American-based shopper insights agency Explorer Research.

Savanta was founded in 2019 as part of the Next15 group of companies. Its services include customised research & consulting; data collection and analysis, including access to 100 million respondents through a proprietary technology platform; and intelligence products such as the MillionaireVue and BrandVue/MarketVue reputation tracking solutions.

Explorer specializes in path-to-purchase, planogram, packaging and shopper experience research, using conscious and nonconscious research methods, and boasts facilities in Toronto and Chicago for in-lab experiential research, as well as a range of VR environments for agile research anywhere in the world. The company will continue to operate under its current brand and to be led by Mike Moussallem, Anne Stephenson and Marc Inkol.

The firms say Savanta's clients will gain access to Explorer's cutting-edge in-person, online and virtual reality shopper research capabilities, while Explorer can offer clients a wider range of services and will benefit from Savanta's global infrastructure, audience access and client relationships.

Explorer President Mike Moussallem (pictured) says his team 'were impressed by Savanta's ambition and ethos from the very first meeting'. Vin DeRobertis, CEO of Savanta Americas says: 'I'm delighted to welcome Mike, Anne, Marc and the wider Explorer Research team to Savanta. The shopper insight solutions they deliver are world-leading, and I'm excited to help the team grow this fantastic work across the globe'.

Web sites: www.savanta.com and www.explorerresearch.com .