GIRA Foodservice

What GIRA Foodservice does

GIRA Foodservice is a France-based market research institute specializing exclusively in European foodservice (out-of-home dining) intelligence since 1970, with formal specialization in the segment since 1989. The company maintains and continuously updates proprietary databases covering operators, consumers, suppliers, and distributors, including products such as the Vending Machine Operators Database (~1,200 French operators), Key Account Buyers Database, Purchasing Groups Database (~350 groups covering ~7,500 social restaurants), Hotel Purchasing Contacts Database (~5,650 hotels), and sector-specific coffee, snacks, and beverage panels. The core technology stack comprises structured data collection, periodic multi-client market studies refreshed on 3-10 year cadences across 10 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, plus the UK in earlier studies), and qualitative plus quantitative competition analyses.

The company monetizes through three principal revenue streams: subscription/recurring multi-client studies and database access (Foodservice France, Foodservice Europe, MONITOR Europe operator monitoring, distribution channel datasets), professional-services ad-hoc custom studies delivered to specification, and data-monetization through economic data supplied to major strategy consulting firms including Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, KPMG, Deloitte Consulting, and Roland Berger. GIRA Foodservice operates as a sales-led B2B enterprise targeting food and beverage manufacturers, beverage producers, contract caterers, restaurant chains, specialist distributors, and consulting and financial services clients.

Since June 2015, the company has operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of IRI (now Circana), the retail and FMCG market intelligence company, which extended GIRA's capabilities into combined retail-plus-out-of-home analytics (exemplified by the 2020 Snacking Observatory co-branded with IRI). The company is headquartered at Trinity, 1 bis Place de la Défense in Paris La Défense, France, with registered domicile in Divonne-les-Bains and a headcount in the 11-50 range.

Name

GIRA Foodservice

Legal name

CIRCANA

Website

https://girafoodservice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GIRA Foodservice is a France-based market research institute specializing in European out-of-home foodservice intelligence since 1970, serving food and beverage manufacturers, distributors, restaurant operators, and major consulting firms with subscription-based studies and proprietary databases across 10 country markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Market Research

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

akta.pro primary industry

Contract Foodservice Management (Outsourced Catering) (THAFAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional/Local Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAB), Institutional Foodservice Distribution (Education, Healthcare, Government) (CRAOABAM)

Keywords

• Foodservice market research
• Out-of-home market intelligence
• Distribution channel analysis
• Consumer behavior studies
• Operator database subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Divonne-les-bains

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Market Research Studies: GIRA Foodservice offers comprehensive market research studies on the foodservice market covering operators, consumers, suppliers, and distributors. This includes multi-client studies updated periodically (every 3-6 years depending on country/market) and specific sector analyses.
2. Database Subscriptions: The company provides access to qualified databases including key account buyers, social foodservice outlets, food and beverage wholesalers, and vending machine operators. These are operational tools for sales and marketing teams.
3. Ad-hoc Studies: Customized studies resulting from specific client requirements covering market, operator, product consumption, or distribution topics. These bespoke projects follow precise specifications approved by the contracting party.
4. Strategic Consulting Data Support: GIRA Foodservice works with major consulting firms (Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company) providing economic data to support strategic consulting engagements with foodservice market operators and suppliers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GIRA Foodservice produces and sells market research on the European foodservice (out-of-home dining) market. Its offering comprises multi-client country studies (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, pan-European), the MONITOR Europe annual operator tracking service, sector-specific studies (snacking, beverages, coffee, dairy, frozen, grocery), a portfolio of operational databases of operators, distributors and key account buyers, ad-hoc custom research, and strategic consulting delivered in partnership with major consulting firms.

Product overview

GIRA Foodservice is a market research institute specializing in the European foodservice (out-of-home dining) industry since 1970, with major shareholder IRI since 2015. The company operates as a single unified research platform offering comprehensive studies, databases, and consulting services rather than a modular software product. The portfolio comprises country-specific foodservice market studies (MONITOR Europe covering France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Portugal), sector-specific research (snacking, beverages, sauces, frozen products, dairy, coffee), operational databases (key accounts, distributors, vending machines, purchasing groups, caterers), ad-hoc custom studies, and strategic consulting services delivered through partnerships with major consulting firms. The offering is oriented toward food and beverage producers, distributors, contract caterers, restaurant chains, banks, insurers, and professional organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi-Client Country Foodservice Market Studies Comprehensive research studies analysing the out-of-home foodservice market in individual European countries and across Europe as a whole, covering market structure, operators, suppliers, distributors and consumer behaviour. Sold to food and beverage manufacturers, restaurant operators and consulting firms.
• MONITOR Europe Operator Tracking Service Annual subscription service that tracks the activity, structure and dynamics of contract caterers, restaurant chains and transport foodservice operators across European countries. Used by operators, suppliers and consultants for market positioning and competitive analysis.
• Foodservice Operator and Buyer Databases (France) A set of subscription databases profiling French foodservice operators, distributors and decision-makers, including Key Account Buyers in restaurant chains and contract catering, Social Foodservice Outlets, Food & Beverage Wholesalers, Hotel Purchasing Contacts, Central Kitchens, Coffee Roasters, Reception Caterers, Nightlife Establishments and Nursery/Creche facilities. Sold to suppliers, distributors and sales teams for targeting and prospecting.
• Vending Machine Operators Database (France) Database covering approximately 1,200 vending machine operators in France, providing detailed company profiles, customer portfolios, geographical coverage, equipment types, turnover figures and supply chain information. Used by suppliers and distributors for sales targeting in the automatic distribution channel.
• Coffee Shop Database (France) Qualified database of 350 independent coffee shop structures in France (excluding national and international chain brands) with detailed company profiles. Used by coffee roasters, equipment manufacturers and suppliers for sales targeting in the independent coffee channel.
• Purchasing Groups Database (France) Qualified database of 350 purchasing groups concentrating purchases of approximately 7,500 social restaurants in France. Enables suppliers to identify groups, intervene in upstream tenders and optimise commercial development.
• Ad-hoc Custom Foodservice Studies Customised market research projects executed against specific client requirements, covering market assessment, distribution analysis, competitive positioning, consumption quantification and consumer expectations. Sold to food and beverage manufacturers, distributors and consulting firms.
• Strategic Consulting Support for Foodservice Customised strategic advice and economic data delivered in collaboration with major international consulting firms (Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, KPMG, Deloitte Consulting, Roland Berger) to support strategic engagements with foodservice operators and suppliers.
• Consumer Behavior Studies (CHD) Qualitative studies on consumer behaviour in the out-of-home restaurant and catering sector, supporting brand, product and marketing decisions of suppliers and operators.
• Foodservice Distribution Studies (France and Europe) Comprehensive analysis of food and beverage distribution channels in foodservice markets across France and Europe, including product-specific distribution studies covering grocery, fresh/chilled, frozen, dairy, bakery-pastry and beverages. Sold to suppliers, distributors and consulting firms.
• Cash & Carry Distribution Studies Research on the cash and carry distribution channel in foodservice, with the 2014 edition covering 381 warehouses and 982,500 m2 of sales area. Used by suppliers, distributors and wholesalers for channel strategy.
• Snacking Observatory First comprehensive snacking observatory combining market analysis, assortment benchmarking, sales tracking and consumer usage and attitude studies, leveraging combined GIRA Foodservice and IRI expertise. Targets food manufacturers, distributors and operators in the snacking segment.
• COVID-19 Insights Series for Foodservice Series of COVID-19 impact analyses for the foodservice ecosystem covering market forecasts, consumer behaviour changes and industry impact, including the Insights COVID Prévisions chiffrées 2020 and Analyse Consommateurs studies.
• Annual Foodservice Barometers (Dry Pasta, Cold Sauces) Annual barometer studies tracking category sales in French foodservice, including dry pasta sales and cold sauce sales. Used by food manufacturers and distributors for category tracking.

Quantifiable outcome

• European market coverage across 10 countries with comprehensive foodservice market data
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bain & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIRA Foodservice works with major international strategy consulting companies, providing them with economic data on foodservice markets. Consultants from Bain & Company collaborate with GIRA researchers to support strategic tasks set by foodservice operators and suppliers.
• Boston Consulting GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIRA Foodservice works with major international strategy consulting companies, providing them with economic data on foodservice markets. Consultants from BCG collaborate with GIRA researchers to support strategic tasks set by foodservice operators and suppliers.
• McKinsey & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIRA Foodservice works with major international strategy consulting companies, providing them with economic data on foodservice markets. Consultants from McKinsey collaborate with GIRA researchers to support strategic tasks set by foodservice operators and suppliers.
• KPMGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement and audit consultancy company working with GIRA Foodservice for economic data support on foodservice market engagements.
• Deloitte ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services firm engaged with GIRA Foodservice for economic data support on foodservice market analysis.
• Roland BergerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategy consulting firm partnered with GIRA Foodservice for economic data on foodservice markets.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mintel: Mintel is a global market research firm covering consumer products, retail, and foodservice. It is comparable to GIRA in selling subscription research, consumer insights, and category reports to CPG manufacturers and operators, with overlapping foodservice category coverage.
• GlobalData: GlobalData provides syndicated and custom market intelligence across consumer, retail, and foodservice verticals. It is comparable to GIRA in selling enterprise subscriptions and custom studies to food and beverage manufacturers, operators, and distributors seeking market sizing and trend analysis.
• Euromonitor International: Euromonitor publishes syndicated research and data across consumer industries including a dedicated foodservice research practice. It is comparable as a B2B research and database provider to CPG manufacturers, distributors, and operators across multiple geographies, competing for similar enterprise budgets.
• Circana (formerly IRI): Circana is GIRA's majority shareholder and the broader FMCG and out-of-home market intelligence provider. It is comparable because both firms sell market intelligence on the same customer base (food and beverage manufacturers, operators, distributors), with Circana providing the at-home data that complements GIRA's out-of-home specialty.
• Kantar: Kantar is one of the world's largest consumer and market insight providers with practices covering retail, shopper, and out-of-home consumption. It competes with GIRA for enterprise research budgets from CPG manufacturers and retailers needing foodservice and consumer behavior data.

Emerging players

• The Foodservice Group: The Foodservice Group is a specialized consulting and research firm focused on foodservice operators and suppliers. It overlaps with GIRA's strategic consulting and ad-hoc study offerings, serving similar B2B clients in foodservice strategy and distribution analysis.

Direct peers

• Datassential: Datassential provides foodservice market intelligence including menu tracking, operator benchmarking, and consumer studies. It overlaps GIRA's operator monitoring, consumer behavior, and trend tracking services for the foodservice industry, though Datassential is U.S.-centric.
• Technomic: Technomic is a long-established foodservice market research firm covering operators, menu trends, and consumer behavior. It is directly comparable to GIRA in offering syndicated foodservice research, custom studies, and operator databases, though its geographic focus is primarily North America rather than Europe.
• CHD Expert: CHD Expert is a foodservice market research specialist covering the hotel, restaurant, and catering (HoReCa) sector across multiple countries. It is one of the most direct competitors to GIRA's operator and channel databases, with comparable country-level coverage of the European foodservice market.

Regional players

• Black Box Intelligence (now Restaurant Business / Dinova): Black Box Intelligence / Dinova provides foodservice market intelligence focused on U.S. restaurant operator benchmarking and consumer insights. It is comparable to GIRA's MONITOR Europe operator tracking and consumer behavior services, though primarily serving the North American market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/gira-foodservice-8b6605148

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 GIRA Foodservice