+44 (0)203 693 3150

Stagg Chilli Vision One

Stagg Chilli Product Research Case Study

The Challenge

Hormel was developing an innovative new range of microwaveable Ready To Eat (RTE) meals under the name Spiced for Life. The range was positioned using Ayurvedic philosophy, incorporating herbs and spices associated with health-giving properties and high antioxidant levels.

Before progressing to launch, Hormel needed to evaluate the strength of the overall concept and assess consumer response to nine potential product variants. The challenge was to identify which elements of the proposition resonated most strongly, validate taste performance, and determine how the range should be refined to maximise relevance, appeal and commercial viability.

Stagg Chilli Market Research

Research Objectives

The research was designed to evaluate both the Spiced for Life concept and individual product variants within a real-world ready-meal context. The key objectives were to:

  • Assess consumer response to the Ayurvedic positioning and health-led proposition
  • Understand perceptions of uniqueness, relevance and believability
  • Evaluate taste performance across nine potential product variants
  • Identify the strongest drivers of appeal within the concept
  • Provide clear guidance on which variants should be retained, refined or removed

These objectives aimed to support confident decision-making ahead of range development and optimisation.

Research Approach

Vision One conducted a large-scale programme of Central Location Tests (CLTs) across multiple UK venues. The approach included:

  • Recruitment of over 400 respondents
  • Screening to ensure all participants were non-rejectors of the Spiced for Life concept
  • Inclusion of regular buyers and consumers of microwaveable RTE meals
  • Structured evaluation of the overarching concept alongside product and taste testing
  • Comparative assessment across all nine proposed variants

This methodology ensured robust, scalable insight grounded in real category users and realistic consumption contexts.

Findings

The research revealed that the most compelling aspect of the Spiced for Life proposition was its unique storage benefit. The ability to store the product without refrigeration, combined with a long shelf life, delivered strong appeal within the category.

Beyond this, the concept performed well on measures of uniqueness, ease of understanding, relevance and believability. These results demonstrated that consumers clearly grasped the proposition and saw it as meaningfully differentiated, providing confidence that the concept could stand out in a crowded RTE meals market when supported by the right range structure.

Action & Recommendations

The insights enabled Hormel to further shape and refine the Spiced for Life concept and to rationalise the proposed product range. By identifying which variants and benefits resonated most strongly, Hormel was able to reduce complexity, focus investment on the most promising options and progress development based on robust consumer evidence rather than assumptions.

Qualitative Research Agency
Kendra Furey, Head of Brands (Vision One)

Related Services

Concept Testing
Branding Research
Online Surveys
Focus Group Research
Product research
Quantitative Research
Culture Trip Travel and Tourism BV Case Study Vision One

Culture Trip Brand Tracking Video Case Study

Aerial shot of a suburban neighbourhood showing rows of houses, green gardens, and tree-lined streets.

The Challenge Saxon Weald was developing a new 3 year corporate plan, Delivering Better Together, and needed to ensure it was genuinely shaped by customer and colleague insight. Following regulatory scrutiny and evolving expectations around Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), the organisation required a deep understanding of resident needs, priorities and pain points. The challenge was to bring together multiple voices, including customers, colleagues and external stakeholders, into a clear, evidence-led strategy that would improve services, rebuild trust and drive measurable improvements in satisfaction, efficiency and customer experience. Research Objectives The research was designed to inform the development of Saxon Weald’s corporate strategy through robust, multi-source insight. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to ensure the corporate plan was grounded in real experience and aligned with measurable outcomes. Research Approach Vision One delivered a comprehensive, multi-method research programme integrating customer, colleague and stakeholder insight. The approach included: This approach ensured a holistic, 360-degree understanding of experience across the organisation. Findings The research identified clear priorities for improvement, with repairs, communication and feeling listened to emerging as critical drivers of satisfaction. Residents highlighted the importance of reliability, transparency and ease of interaction across services. Safety and trust also emerged…

Saxon Weald Housing Corporate Plan

McBride NPD Case Study Vision One

The Challenge McBride plc is a leading British-based manufacturing business and Europe’s largest producer of own-label household and professional cleaning products. To strengthen its portfolio, McBride developed a series of new product concepts across three categories: automatic dishwash, laundry and water softeners. The challenge was to evaluate these concepts across three key European markets. the UK, France and Germany, and identify which ideas offered the greatest consumer appeal. McBride needed clear, comparative insight to prioritise development and tailor marketing opportunities by market and category. Research Objectives The research was designed to assess the strength and potential of multiple new product concepts across categories and markets. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to support confident, evidence-led new product prioritisation. Research Approach Vision One implemented a quantitative, multi-market concept testing programme using its proprietary IdeaProbe approach. The methodology included: This approach enabled robust prioritisation across categories and geographies. Findings The research delivered clear, category-specific insight. In laundry, a probiotic formula performed strongly on perceived uniqueness, suggesting potential for a niche proposition. In automatic dishwash, a 5-in-1 complete care concept outperformed all alternatives across key measures, highlighting a clear unmet need in the market. Water softener results varied significantly by…

McBride Product Development Research Story