Fresh Produce Testing Programme

Helping you deliver fresher, more appealing, and market-ready produce; all year round.

WHY TESTING MATTERS FOR GROWERS TODAY

Fresh produce growers across the UK and Europe are under more pressure than ever. Retailers expect consistent quality, consumers are more discerning, and competition in every category continues to rise.

In this landscape, testing isn’t a luxury; it’s a way to stay ahead. Without it, growers risk weaker retailer confidence, missed opportunities to showcase product quality, and a lack of insight into how their produce performs once it reaches shoppers. With it, you gain real-world feedback, evidence, and a stronger position in the market.

That’s why we created the Fresh Produce Testing Programme; a sensory insight and performance solution designed to help you understand how your produce is experienced by consumers and how to use that feedback to strengthen performance, reputation, and sales.

Grower holding a crate of lettuce in a greenhouse as part of a fresh produce product testing programme focused on crop quality, varietal benchmarking, and yield optimisation.

THE CHALLENGES GROWERS FACE

From our conversations with growers and producers, the same frustrations appear again and again:

  • Understanding consumer preference – knowing how taste, appearance, and texture influence buying decisions.

  • Consistency of quality – managing variation in size, flavour, and visual appeal across seasons and varieties.

  • Shelf-life perception – learning how consumers perceive freshness over time.

  • Retailer demands – the need to demonstrate understanding of consumer appeal and consistent quality performance.

  • Sales pressures – identifying which varieties and product attributes truly drive purchase and repeat sales.

Testing doesn’t replace the expertise of growing. It complements it; giving you clarity and confidence through real consumer feedback that supports both retailer conversations and product planning.

Boxes of ripe red tomatoes ready for distribution as part of a fresh produce product testing programme ensuring consistency, quality control, and benchmarking across crop varieties.

Our programme is designed to help you use sensory insight to strengthen your entire operation:

  1. Reduced Risk
    Minimise the risk of consumer disappointment by validating how your produce performs on freshness, taste, and appeal before it reaches the shelf.

  2. Enhanced Reputation
    Prove the consistency and appeal of your produce, demonstrate varietal strengths, and build trust with retailers through consumer-backed insight.

  3. Stronger Retailer Relationships
    Retailers want evidence of consumer appeal and consistency. Our testing outputs give you clear, retailer-ready feedback that demonstrates reliability and quality performance.

  4. Increased Sales & Performance
    Use sensory testing to identify which varieties and grades resonate most with consumers — helping you make more confident decisions about production, packaging, and positioning.

  5. Long-Term Outcomes
    Build a data story over time that tracks consumer preferences and product performance season after season, supporting better planning and commercial alignment.

WHAT THE FRESH PRODUCE TESTING PROGRAMME DELIVERS

Apples moving along a grading and sorting line as part of a fresh produce product testing programme designed to evaluate quality, freshness, and consistency across supply chains.

THE VALUE FOR GROWERS AND PRODUCERS

Our testing programme helps growers and producers across the UK and Europe better understand how consumers experience their produce and how that impacts performance in-store.

Through sensory evaluation and consumer feedback, you gain:

  • Evidence of how your produce compares against benchmarks.

  • Insight into what drives shopper choice and satisfaction.

  • Clarity on which product qualities deliver the strongest commercial results.

This programme turns guesswork into guidance; giving you the feedback you need to strengthen your position and decision-making.

Fresh raspberries and blackberries moving along automated sorting lines as part of a fresh produce product testing programme assessing fruit quality, freshness, and supply chain performance.

HOW THE PROGRAMME WORKS

The Fresh Produce Testing Programme is built around three simple principles: real consumers, real conditions, real insight.

  1. Assessment – We begin by understanding your objectives: the products, varieties, or questions you want to explore.

  2. Sensory Testing – Consumers evaluate your produce based on key sensory factors such as taste, appearance, texture, and overall enjoyment.

  3. Reporting – We provide clear feedback showing how your produce performs against expectations, benchmarks, and consumer preferences.

  4. Retailer-Ready Outputs – Our reports are built for commercial use — simple, visual, and designed to support buyer conversations.

  5. Seasonal Tracking – Ongoing testing allows you to build a longer-term view of quality and performance across crops and growing conditions.

This isn’t testing for compliance; it’s testing designed to inform your commercial strategy and strengthen your connection with the end consumer.

Consumer evaluating the freshness and aroma of a tomato as part of a fresh produce product testing programme focused on taste, quality, and sensory performance.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW

Market conditions are evolving fast:

  • Retailers expect suppliers to understand and adapt to consumer preferences.

  • Consumers want produce that delivers on flavour, freshness, and experience; not just appearance.

  • Competition for listings and shelf space is increasing.

  • Sustainability and waste reduction targets make consistent performance even more important.

Growers who can evidence strong consumer appeal and product consistency will have the edge; and the data to back it up.

Person preparing a vibrant salad with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and olives, representing the importance of a fresh produce consumer testing programme in understanding shopper preferences, improving product quality, and enhancing taste appeal.

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN

By joining the Fresh Produce Testing Programme, you’ll gain:

  • Clarity – a detailed understanding of how consumers experience your produce.

  • Proof – tangible insight that shows your commitment to quality and consistency.

  • Direction – clear actions to optimise varieties, harvest timing, or product presentation.

  • Trust – stronger, evidence-based conversations with retailers and partners.

  • Growth – improved product performance and consumer satisfaction driving commercial success.

This is sensory testing with a purpose; connecting what you grow with what consumers value most.

Smiling produce specialist holding fresh cabbages in a supermarket as part of a fresh produce product testing programme focused on quality, consistency, and consumer satisfaction.

IMAGINE THE FUTURE

Picture your next season with greater confidence:

  • Retailers recognise your commitment to quality and consumer understanding.

  • You know exactly which varieties and attributes deliver the best response.

  • Your team makes decisions backed by real-world consumer feedback.

  • You build a track record of consistency and trust.

That’s the future our testing programme helps you achieve.

Close-up of ripe strawberries being examined in a greenhouse as part of a fresh produce product testing programme focused on quality, taste, and freshness improvement.

WHY WORK WITH US

For over 30 years, we’ve worked with food businesses across the supply chain; from growers and producers to retailers and manufacturers. We combine sensory insight with commercial understanding, ensuring our testing delivers results that matter.

Our difference is simple: we don’t just collect data. We translate consumer perception into clear guidance that helps you build stronger outcomes for your business.

Farmer holding a box of freshly picked strawberries as part of a fresh produce product testing programme designed to measure quality, taste, and consistency from farm to consumer.

READY TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BUSINESS WITH TESTING?

The Fresh Produce Testing Programme is designed for growers who want to use real consumer feedback to improve quality, build trust, and strengthen performance in the market.

Workers in protective clothing sorting lettuce on a production line as part of a fresh produce product testing programme focused on safety, quality control, and process improvement.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Talk to our team today about your research needs, we’d love to help.