Ireland’s food and drink body Bord Bia is to open a major new market research unit at its Clanwilliam Court HQ soon. Called The Thinking House, the 7,000 sq ft premises facing on to Lower Mount Street will offer a range of research and development (R&D) services aimed at helping SMEs and larger Irish food companies bring new products to market.
Bord Bia’s director of consumer insight Helen King, pictured, said the centre will be a space for international buyers and a learning hub for third level institutions. King says it will be about getting data and turning it into knowledge to grow food businesses. She denies the centre will impact on the amount of work Bord Bia gives independent researchers.
“We spend lots of money with research and branding agencies and that won’t change,” King said. “We hope it will encourage the wider use of insight.” Bord Bia’s brand, insight and innovation specialists include ex-Diageo executive Rory McDonnell, Zuilmah Wallis, who was European marketing director for Fitch in the UK and ex-Publicis planner Grace Binchy.
