European Sensory Network

What European Sensory Network does

European Sensory Network (ESN) is a private, Munich-based professional membership organization founded in 1989 that connects 42 universities, research institutes, sensory and consumer research agencies, and enterprise R&D teams across 17 European countries plus the United States, Canada, and Argentina. Its core offering is the Partner Research Programme, under which members collectively initiate, co-fund, and execute international research projects in sensory and consumer science, alongside the ESN Agile Research Process, which enables fast-turnaround snapshot studies. The network supplements research with peer-reviewed publications, a podcast series, the Impact & Influence early-career training program, an annual ESN STAR Award, and bi-annual in-person meetings hosted in rotating global cities, plus a strong presence at the Pangborn Symposium and EUROSENSE conference.

Name

European Sensory Network

Legal name

European Sensory Network

Website

https://esn-network.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

European Sensory Network is a Munich-based membership organization founded in 1989 that connects 42 universities, research institutes, agencies, and enterprise R&D teams across 17+ countries to co-fund and execute collaborative sensory and consumer science research, training, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sensory Science Research Collaboration

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHALAL

ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• Sensory science research
• Consumer research network
• Collaborative research projects
• Membership research network
• Sensory evaluation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: ESN generates revenue through annual membership fees of 4,500 Euro per year from member organizations. The fees fund projects within the Partner Research Programme and promote and facilitate ESN activities. Membership requires a minimum commitment of three years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels15 records

Core offering

European Sensory Network (ESN) is a privately held professional membership network that connects 42 public and private organizations across 17 European countries plus the USA and Canada in the field of sensory and consumer science. It funds and coordinates the Partner Research Programme of international collaborative research projects, hosts bi-annual member meetings worldwide, provides the Impact & Influence training program for early-career professionals, publishes peer-reviewed research outputs, and produces the ESN Podcasts series. Member organizations pay an annual fee of 4,500 EUR with a minimum three-year commitment.

Product overview

ESN is a research network organization, not a software product company. It operates as a collaborative platform connecting 42 member organizations across Europe, USA, and Canada involved in sensory and consumer science. The core offering is the Partner Research Programme, which funds and coordinates collaborative international research projects conducted by members. Additional offerings include the ESN Publications (peer-reviewed research outputs), ESN Podcasts (interviews with experts), the Impact & Influence Training Program (workshops for early career professionals), ESN Newsletter & Jobletter (communications), and ESN Bi-annual Meetings (networking events).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impact & Influence: Training program for early career professionals in sensory and consumer science, focusing on communication and leadership skills.
• ESN STAR Award
• ESN Podcasts

Products and services

• ESN Membership (Partner Research Programme) Annual membership subscription (4,500 EUR per organisation, minimum three-year commitment) granting access to the Partner Research Programme, bi-annual meetings, publications, podcasts and the 42-member research network across Europe, USA and Canada. Targets universities, research institutes, agencies and FMCG companies involved in sensory and consumer science.
• Partner Research Programme (Collaborative Research Projects) ESN's main collaborative research initiative where member organisations collectively initiate, fund and conduct international research projects using cutting-edge statistical analysis and sensory data-capture platforms such as RedJade, Compusense and EyeQuestion. Outputs feed into peer-reviewed publications and industry standardisation.
• ESN Bi-annual Meetings Exclusive gatherings held in cities worldwide bringing together ESN members and partners for workshops on hot topics in sensory and consumer science, presentations, and networking. Serve as primary engagement events where prospective members are introduced and existing members collaborate.
• Impact & Influence Training Programme Training workshops designed for early-career professionals in sensory and consumer science, focused on strengthening communication and leadership skills so participants can share their research with confidence and impact. Delivered as part of ESN's Impact & Influence brand and at Pangborn training modules.
• ESN Podcasts Video and audio podcast series produced by ESN featuring interviews with members and guests discussing news, trends and methodology in sensory and consumer science. Distributed via the ESN website, YouTube and podbean, and promoted to member organisations and the wider sensory community.
• ESN Publications Peer-reviewed research publications resulting from ESN-funded collaborative research projects, shared through scientific journals, ESN videos and podcasts. Members receive pre-publication access to research findings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 245 data sets analyzed in home testing study spanning 19 countries, demonstrating noise reduction of 9% in In-Home testing vs Central Location Tests
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Wageningen University & ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading research institute and ESN Chair institution. Conducts consumer behavior, sensory analysis, and behavioral studies. Provides experimental facilities including 16 computerised taste booths and real-life setting studies.
• University of CopenhagencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-disciplinary food research including Nordic Food Lab integration with creative foodies and chefs. Focuses on sustainable and healthy food innovation.
• SAM Sensory and Marketing InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational specialist in sensory and consumer research since 1988, part of Eurofins. Conducts research in over 40 countries with high-tech facilities across Europe. ESN Vice Chair Patricia Silva is affiliated with SAM.
• dsm-firmenichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal leader in health, nutrition, bioscience, fragrance and taste. ESN Secretary Carlos Gómez-Corona and PR Chair Christelle Porcherot are affiliated with dsm-firmenich.
• NofimacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian food research institute with 387 employees. Conducts research for aquaculture, fishing, and food industries. Coordinates ESN research projects.
• CompusensesupportingTechnology or IntegrationSensory and Consumer Research Software Solutions provider since 1986. Offers user-friendly and customizable software for creating, executing, and analyzing research studies.
• RedJadesupportingTechnology or IntegrationLeading provider of cutting-edge sensory technologies delivering intuitive software, real-time analytics, and expert consulting. Serves consumer goods, healthcare, automotive, gaming, and retail industries.
• Blue Yonder ResearchsupportingTechnology or IntegrationModern R&D and innovation research agency with start-up mentality. Reinvests 10% of annual profits into innovation. Developed Clickscape and AlertYa patented technologies for real-time consumer insights.
• Qi StatisticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationStatistical consulting and training services with over 100 years of combined experience. Leading provider of statistical support for sensory and consumer applications globally.
• CSGA (Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench joint research unit combining food science, biology, human sciences, and statistics. Reports to CNRS and INRAE with University of Burgundy and Institut Agro. Focuses on perception and feeding behavior research.
• NestlécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal food and beverage company with Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. Conducts sensory and consumer science research for product innovation across 2,000+ brands.
• Pangborn SymposiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor international conference for sensory and consumer science. ESN co-organizes workshops and training modules at the biennial symposium, which rotates globally.
• EUROSENSEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Conference on Sensory and Consumer Research organized by European Sensory Science Society (E3S). ESN participates and presents research at these biennial conferences.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esn_network
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9J9AvvKzrrg4cGU9DxvORg
• Facebookfacebook.com/europeansensory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/european-sensory-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/europeansensory

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about European Sensory Network