Sense Test
Sense Test is a Portuguese ISO/IEC 17025-accredited sensory analysis and consumer research firm that delivers project-based lab, home-use, mobile, and VR testing services to enterprise clients across food, beverage, pet, and consumer goods sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersVila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sense Test does
Sense Test Lda is a Portuguese sensory analysis and consumer research firm headquartered in Vila Nova de Gaia, founded in 2000, with a secondary office in the Lisbon area (Torres Vedras). The company is the only laboratory in Portugal accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 by IPAC for sensory analysis and consumer behavior, and operates a portfolio of seven solution categories (Market Behaviour, Branding Insights, User Experience, Product I&D, Packaging & Content, Sensory Claims, SenseBus) built on five core methodologies (Sense Lab, Sense Home, Sense Profiling, Sense PET, Sense Training). Its technical platform combines accredited laboratory testing, home-use testing (HUT), mobile laboratory deployment via SenseBus, virtual reality testing environments, and a proprietary emoji-based emotional response questionnaire designed to overcome cross-cultural language barriers. A diversified consumer panel of approximately 250 daily assessors supports specialized testing across children, seniors, and dietary-restricted cohorts such as individuals with celiac disease, enabling 10,000 sample evaluations and roughly 2,500 projects per year, underpinned by a database of approximately 20 million sensory data points accumulated over 25+ years.
The company's revenue model is project-based professional services, with custom quote-driven pricing tied to scope, methodology, sample volume, and turnaround, and multi-year contracts with enterprise clients. It serves a heavily Portuguese-anchored enterprise base across food and beverage (Auchan, Super Bock, MC Sonae, Cerealis, Sovena), pet products (petMaxI), household and personal care, and emerging categories such as algae supplements (Alga+) and insect-based foods (The Cricket Farming Co., EntoGreen). Distribution is entirely direct B2B enterprise sales, supported by organic social and PR-driven top-of-funnel activity. R&D is conducted through an extensive academic consortium including the Universities of Porto, Aveiro, Minho, and Católica Portuguesa, plus applied research institutes (INL, Ciimar, ISA, Colab4Food, BLC3), with non-dilutive co-financing from EU/national programs including COMPETE 2030. Leadership comprises Rui Costa Lima (CEO), Alexandra Ribeiro (Commercial Manager), and Célia Rocha (R&D Manager), with the company operating as an independent, privately held entity with no disclosed external equity funding.
Sense Test firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sense Test
- Legal name
- Sense Test Lda
- Website
- https://sensetest.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sense Test is a Portuguese ISO/IEC 17025-accredited sensory analysis and consumer research firm that delivers project-based lab, home-use, mobile, and VR testing services to enterprise clients across food, beverage, pet, and consumer goods sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sense Test industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sensory Analysis Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sensory/Taint & Odor Transfer Testing (organoleptic evaluation) (AFALAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Regulatory Compliance & HACCP Consulting (FDA/USDA/EFSA) (AFALAAAD)
Keywords
Where Sense Test is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vila Nova de Gaia
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sense Test business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Sensory Testing Services: Core revenue from professional sensory analysis and consumer research services including laboratory testing, home-use testing, palatability studies, and market research projects. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with food, pet products, and consumer goods companies.
- Trained Panel Services: Provision of trained sensory assessor panels for ongoing product evaluation and quality control testing for client companies.
- Sensory Training Programs: Training services for companies and professionals on sensory analysis techniques and methodologies (Sense Training methodology).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sense Test product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sense Test provides accredited sensory analysis and consumer behavior research services for food, pet, and consumer goods manufacturers. The company delivers in-lab testing, home-use testing, palatability studies, sensory profiling, trained panel services, and sensory training programs using ISO/IEC 17025 accredited methodologies, supported by mobile laboratories and virtual reality testing environments.
Product overview
Sense Test is a sensory analysis service company offering a comprehensive portfolio of 7 solution areas and 5 testing methodologies for food and non-food products. The Solutions (Market Behaviour, Branding Insights, User Experience, Product I&D, Packaging & Content, Sensory Claims, and SenseBus) provide targeted consumer insights across different business needs, while the Methodology suite (Sense Lab, Sense Home, Sense Profiling, Sense Pet, and Sense Training) offers flexible testing environments from accredited laboratories to home settings. The company operates as a service-oriented business combining innovation with tests conducted in real and simulated environments including virtual reality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SenseBus: Mobile sensory testing laboratory solution
- Sense Lab
- Sense Home
- Sense Profiling
- Sense PET
- Sense Training
Products and services
- Market Behaviour
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000 samples evaluated per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sense Test
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sense Test technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Sense Test partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FCUP - Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do PortocoreAcademic partnership with Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto for research collaboration and scientific excellence in sensory analysis methodologies
- Universidade do PortocoreUniversity partnership for research and development in sensory science and consumer behavior
- Universidade de AveirocoreAcademic research collaboration in sensory analysis and consumer science
- Universidade do MinhocoreUniversity partnership for joint research in sensory evaluation methodologies
- Universidade Católica PortuguesacoreAcademic collaboration with Catholic University of Portugal for research projects
- INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology LaboratoryminorCollaboration with International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory for advanced research projects
- ISA - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaminorPartnership with Superior Institute of Agronomy for agricultural and food science research
- CiimarminorMarine research institute collaboration for seafood sensory analysis projects
- Colab4FoodminorCollaborative laboratory focused on food innovation and research
- BLC3minorResearch and development collaboration in food technology
- PortugalFoodsminorPortuguese food industry association partnership for sector development
- MOBFOOD ProjectminorParticipation in MOBFOOD research project for mobility and innovation in the food sector
- 4C's ProjectminorLead promoter of the 4C's Project - collaborative research initiative
- C Label+ ProjectminorParticipation in Mobilizer Project C Label+ for innovative 'clean label' foods that are natural, nutritious, and consumer-oriented
- SUSINCHAIN ProjectminorParticipation in SUSINCHAIN Project - Sustainable Insect Chain research
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sense Test competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Kynetec (Consumer Sensory): Kynetec provides consumer insights and sensory support for agrifood and consumer health companies. It is an emerging peer with partial overlap in sensory and consumer research services, particularly for animal nutrition and food categories adjacent to Sense Test's pet and food segments.
Regional players
- SAM Group (Sensometrics, Análisis y Marketing): SAM Group is a Spanish/Portuguese consumer and sensory research firm serving FMCG and retail clients across Iberia and Latin America. It is a regional peer to Sense Test with overlap in consumer testing and panel methodology, primarily in Southern Europe and Latin America.
Broad incumbents
- Intertek (Food Services): Intertek delivers food testing including sensory and consumer insights as part of its broad assurance portfolio. It competes with Sense Test in food and consumer goods testing but does not specialize in sensory analysis as a core focus.
- SGS Sensory & Consumer Research: SGS provides sensory evaluation and consumer research as part of a global testing, inspection, and certification portfolio. It is comparable to Sense Test in service scope but operates at vastly greater scale across multiple industries and geographies.
- Mérieux NutriSciences (Sensory & Consumer): Mérieux NutriSciences offers sensory and consumer studies alongside food safety and quality testing. Like Sense Test, it serves food manufacturers and consumer goods companies, but it is a much larger broad incumbent with global labs.
- Eurofins Sensory & Consumer Research: Eurofins operates a global network of sensory and consumer research laboratories across food, cosmetics, and household products. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with Sense Test's accredited sensory panel and home-use testing services but at significantly larger multinational scale.
Direct peers
- Sensory Spectrum: Sensory Spectrum specializes in trained descriptive sensory analysis and consumer research for product development. It is a direct competitor to Sense Test in sensory profiling methodology, particularly for food and personal care categories.
- MMR Research Worldwide: MMR Research Worldwide is a UK-based specialist sensory and consumer research firm serving FMCG brands. It is a direct competitor to Sense Test's panel-based sensory testing, trained panel services, and consumer product research for global brands.
- The National Food Lab: The National Food Lab is a US-based sensory and consumer research provider serving food and beverage manufacturers. It is a direct peer to Sense Test in describing sensory testing, trained panels, and consumer studies for product development and quality.
- Tragon Corporation: Tragon is a US-based sensory and consumer research firm offering trained panel, descriptive analysis, and consumer testing services. It is a direct peer to Sense Test in methodology, customer segment (food & beverage), and service model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sense Test social profiles
Digital presenceSense Test compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sense Test financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sense Test leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sense Test funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sense Test M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sense Test
What does Sense Test do?
Sense Test provides accredited sensory analysis and consumer behavior research services for food, pet, and consumer goods manufacturers. The company delivers in-lab testing, home-use testing, palatability studies, sensory profiling, trained panel services, and sensory training programs using ISO/IEC 17025 accredited methodologies, supported by mobile laboratories and virtual reality testing environments.
Is Sense Test a public or private company?
Sense Test is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sense Test founded?
Sense Test was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sense Test based?
Sense Test is headquartered in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does Sense Test make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Sensory Testing Services are the primary driver. The others are trained Panel Services and sensory Training Programs.
Who are Sense Test's main competitors?
Kynetec (Consumer Sensory) is listed as an emerging player. SAM Group (Sensometrics, Análisis y Marketing) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Intertek (Food Services), SGS Sensory & Consumer Research, Mérieux NutriSciences (Sensory & Consumer) and Eurofins Sensory & Consumer Research. Direct peers are Sensory Spectrum, MMR Research Worldwide, The National Food Lab and Tragon Corporation.
Does Sense Test have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sense Test.
What industry is Sense Test in?
Sense Test's product category is Sensory Analysis Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAIAM, Sensory/Taint & Odor Transfer Testing (organoleptic evaluation), with a secondary code of AFALAAAD, Regulatory Compliance & HACCP Consulting (FDA/USDA/EFSA). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.