Haystack Consulting

The
Sensational
Agency
in
Innovation
&
Brand

We are a research and consultancy agency. We work with the latest technologies, such as AI, video and big data analyses. We provide sharp and sparkling insights to make your brand grow. We continuously challenge ourselves to touch hearts, look at things from a new perspective, innovate and surprise.

Quarterly insights

Beyond the data: How Virtual Audiences are shaping the future of business analysts tracking data

In the ever-evolving world of AI, a range of new capabilities is beginning to shape how we approach market research. One that’s already proving especially valuable is the use of Virtual Audiences. These intelligent, data-driven profiles are opening up a new dimension in how we understand consumers, bringing us closer to the “why” behind the numbers. At Haystack, we've been pioneering the use of Virtual Audiences in client work for over a year, and the results have been truly eye-opening, both for us and the client.

July 30, 2025

Quarterly insights

Snip, Snap, Insight!

Video has become the superstar of market research. It captures that sparkle in someone’s eye when they open a pack, the wrinkle of a nose at an unexpected odor, the little pause before a verdict. It’s real, it’s human, it’s unfiltered. And it’s so much more powerful than a number on a scale. But here’s the catch: when you ask hundreds of consumers to share their experience on camera, you don’t end up with “a few” videos. You end up with a mountain of footage. Dozens of hours, maybe hundreds. Buried in that mountain are golden nuggets—the little sparks that make a concept shine or reveal a hidden pain point. And until now, finding them was a slow treasure hunt.

September 25, 2025

Quartelry insights

Our Virtual Audiences learning curve

How we learned, evolved, and unlocked their full potential. At Haystack, our ambition was simple: make qualitative research more agile, more inclusive of underrepresented voices, more scalable, and more accessible. That ambition sparked a journey. Today, that journey has led us to a powerful new capability: Virtual Audiences. But our way of working with Virtual Audiences did not fall into place instantly. It grew through curiosity, experimentation, and a great deal of learning. In this article, we take you along that learning curve, showing how our approach evolved, what we discovered along the way, and how Virtual Audiences now support us in faster and more flexible decision-making.

November 26, 2025

We know what your customers want

Sharing our expertise

Passenger Satisfaction Research at Brussels Airport

Continuously improving products, services, and operations at Brussels Airport to meet passenger demands.

Haystack Consulting’s sensory consultancy services

Haystack Consulting helps companies build and manage efficient sensory departments by providing setup, training, and ongoing support to ensure reliable insights and sustained success.

A strategic exploration of quality acceptance and perception in fruit retail

Identifying areas of improvement, devising effective marketing strategies, and ensuring a successful market launch.

Dreamfarm: Spreading Health & Sustainability - Reinventing Plant-Based Spreads

Reformulating recipes to achieve a Nutri-Score A without compromising on taste or consumer liking.

M Museum

Combining senses and art to create multi-sensory exhibitions that enrich experiences and evoke emotions.

From MVP to sensory congruent energy drink

Defining sensory attributes, using competitors as stimuli, and developing and optimizing the concept, pack designs, and recipes to launch Heineken's entrance to the market of energy drinks.

IKEA – Furnishing the future of single households

A study to improve housing access for vulnerable single-parent families.

Online beverage consumption tracker

Helping companies unveil their blind spots. A case on understanding away-from-home beverage consumption.

Treasure Hunt

Our game challenges teams to look further, dig deeper, and be creative.

We tested with more than
‍2 million customers

We tested with more than 2 million customers

Whether you are a local, national, or international company, we understand where your audience is. Knowing people is our key to perfection. Let's make your brands and innovations a big success.

154+

Countries visited

200k+

Hectoliters beer tasted

1000+

Chocolate bars cheered

13+

Deep-dived industries

Don’t just take our word for it

"Great team to work with. Always innovating research agency for sensorial research!"

"Haystack brainstorms with us as a partner to create challenging, innovative, and custom-made projects."

"We have great professional experience with Haystack! They are reliable, dynamic, pleasant and highly flexible. They are specialised in sensory research among others."

"Haystack has a critical approach embedded in their company culture and methodologies. That is why we prefer to work with Haystack."

Spirited since ’74

We are an insights and consultancy agency working around the world with offices in Belgium and The Netherlands. We are where brands go to become sensational.

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Get inspired

The latest buzz empowered with our marketing, data, and research insights

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November 27, 2025

From hype to health — what’s really behind the growing curiosity for weight-loss medication?

Interest in weight-loss medication is growing. From medical professionals to social media influencers, we hear about it more and more. But where does public opinion stand in Belgium and The Netherlands?

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The
Sensational
Agency
in
Innovation
&
Brand