Vista Grande

We’re excited to introduce a new addition to our team, Jordan Henderson, who is taking the role of VP of Client Solutions. Jordan has spent nearly two decades shaping the shopper insights landscape via the application of new technology to traditional market research areas. Through his work he has developed strong client relationships in industries including CPG, food service, financial technology, and telecom. We look forward to the fresh perspective and enthusiasm Jordan brings to our team of experienced research consultants. Join us in welcoming Jordan to the Vista Grande family! #Welcome #TeamExpansion #VistaGrande

Secretly manipulating shoppers?! Question for my fellow #shopperinsights, #shoppermarketing, #categorymanagement #retailstrategy, #brandmarketing friends: How does this quote from a recent article make you feel? “Switching up the layout is just one of many ways that grocery stores are secretly manipulating you.” (source: Mental Floss, The Clever Reason Why Grocery Stores Change Their Layouts So Often) Or: “You’re only human. And it turns out, it’s precisely that human-ness that’s being targeted.” The sub-head of this article is: “when it comes to shopping, psychology, and the human brain, it turns out we’re pretty impressionable.” (Source: Mental Floss, Why Are Dairy Products Usually At The Back Of A Grocery Store?) So nefarious. I’m sure there is a certain audience who no doubt LOVES feeling victimized by a conspiracy like this. But as someone immersed in shopper behavior and helping manufacturers and retailers succeed, the notion that there is some evil cabal of execs cackling about the new strategy to control a shopper’s mind and make them buy something they don’t really want or need... it feels so off base. Here is what I know to be true. If a shopper is not satisfied with their experience, they won’t come back. So why would any retailer want to use Jedi mind tricks to force shoppers into something they will regret once they break free of the hypnotic state? Do we try to “influence” shoppers? Of course! Anyone who sells ANYTHING is trying to influence people. But there is no secret or malicious intent behind successful strategies. At its most core level, we influence shoppers by creating products that meet a need and by making it easy for them to find those products. At Vista Grande, we have a methodology that we believe uniquely informs marketing and merchandising principles to do just that. No secret conspiracy. Just understanding shoppers’ needs and understanding how they navigate a sea of choices to find what they want. Now, that grocery store in Roswell, New Mexico... that’s a different story. 😊

Similar products can serve distinct purposes, making the act of substitution more nuanced than it appears. It is imperative that we as insights leaders understand the intersection of the shopper, the consumer, the occasion, and the need being met in order to optimize assortment and drive category growth. Is your Substitution Analysis considering this intersection?

Tired of the same old corporate swag and tchotchkes? Behold Vista Grande’s Decision Tree seeds! Plant them in early spring and transform your landscape with abundant future harvests. Please contact one of our landscape architects to help you cultivate a research solution that will help your business flourish. #DecisionTrees #ShopperInsights #MarketResearch

While a focus on the behavior of young shoppers offers a window into the future, we mustn’t overlook the significance of older generations’ spending habits. Brad Barash's perspective offers valuable insight, highlighting Vista Grande’s comprehensive approach to market research.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we at Vista Grande are proud to honor women’s influential contributions to the market research industry, the consumer goods sector, and our own little company. Our fledging startup’s first two hires, Michelle Boehm and Erin Williams, are women of the utmost competence, integrity, and perseverance. Maggie Hughs, Nicole Antoine, and Haley O'Connor soon followed and collectively made a formative influence on our capabilities and culture. Our more recent additions of Cici Wei, Kristina Wong, Nikki Leifer, and Meghan Bosch have made us so much stronger in areas of solution development, analytics, and client relationships. We pay tribute to our team’s diversity, strength, and spirit, and we reaffirm our commitment to fostering an environment where women lead, create, and innovate. Here’s to celebrating the advancement of women’s roles in the workforce, advocating for equality of opportunity in all facets of business, and building a future we can be proud of passing on to the next generation. #WomensHistoryMonth #Empowerment

Vista Grande has consistently sponsored the Category Management Association conference every year since the inception of our company in 2018. It was great to get our client solutions team together in Dallas and to engage with our valued clients, many of whom we've met through previous conferences. 2024 looks like it’s shaping up to be an action-packed year! #CMAconference #VistaGrande #Team

Less than one week to go until the 2024 CMA|SIMA Conference! To get the event kicked off to a spectacular start, Andrew McKeon of Kraft Heinz and Russ Onish of Vista Grande are presenting an emerging technology session: WHAT IF? Two simple words that have the power to change everything! Join us as we highlight The Kraft Heinz Company and Vista Grande's collaborative efforts in pioneering initiatives driven by WHAT IF thinking. Explore how they've implemented innovative merchandising techniques in the Mexican Foods aisle and gain valuable insights into enhancing your organization's category leadership approach. Don't miss this chance to elevate your company's WHAT IF mindset! #KraftHeinz #CategoryManagement #CMACON

The Vista Grande team is excited for the upcoming 2024 CMA|SIMA Conference, less than two weeks away! Keep an eye out for and say hi to our very own Russ Onish, Maggie Hughs, Brad Barash, Nikki Leifer, Adam Portner, Larry Gray, and Josh Berger. Looking forward to connecting with you! #CategoryManagement #ShopperInsights #CMACON