Dysphagia is the inability to swallow often caused by diseases like stroke, Parkinson, and multiple sclerosis. People suffering from dysphagia can only swallow smooth, thickened food and drinks; therefore, healthcare providers add thickening agents to liquids which enable them to swallow liquids without aspiration or choking. These products are widely available in the market in the form of starch-based and liquid xanthan gum-based gel thickeners. With extensive experience in researching healthcare markets, the industry experts at Infiniti offer valuable and strategic insights into the instant thickeners market in terms of the demographic data, product likeability, and regulations.
The Business Challenge
An ingredient solutions provider based out of the US was facing challenges understanding the preferences for instant thickeners for dysphagia patients in Spain. The client had developed a prototype of an instant thickener and wanted to draw a comparison with the commercially available instant thickener to determine patient likeability/preferences and visible opinion.
Our Research Methodology
To gain strategic insights into the market, the research experts at Infiniti carried out extensive primary research comprising of questionnaires and interviews with patients. The experts also carried out high quality secondary research which involved collating and analyzing information from proprietary databases such as company publications, relevant websites, and industry forums.
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Our Solution Helped the Client
- Understand how the patients compare their products vis-à-vis the products available in the market
- Identify the thickened drink products that are easier to swallow
- Gather data in terms of the portion that a dysphagia patient drinks on a daily basis in form of thickened products
- Understand the products preference in terms of key reasons and attributes ranking
Benefits of Our Integrated Approach
In a span of eight weeks, the client was able to identify the patient’s preference/likeability for products and also gained a deep understanding of the amount that a dysphagia patient consumes in the form of thickened products. The engagement also identified a range of thickened drink products that are easier to consume over their counterparts. Overall, this customer intelligence study helped the ingredient’s manufacturer determine its position in the market and develop a customized selling approach to support their new product.
Here are some of the key points appreciated by our clients
- Dedicated Consumer Research Assessment Portal. A centralized platform for the collection, storing, processing, reporting, and dissemination of information with the specific purpose of assisting the decision-making process and developing actionable insights. This portal includes comprehensive information on quantitative and qualitative aspects on target markets, competitors and end-users.
- Collaborative Learning. We leveraged the experience of our healthcare team and our technical capabilities to enable report-sharing and other collaborative features appreciated by client teams.
- Database Access. Access to a patient database containing information about 60+ medical diseases and conditions, such as patients undergoing treatment, untreated patients, and patients with chronic conditions.
- Interactive Dashboard. Using our portal based solution for healthcare professionals, we took a design-first approach to problem-solving and helped break through previously held assertions.
- Value for Money. Infiniti’s dedicated client management team customizes reports to suit business requirements and offers the best insights for every dollar spent.
A must-read customer intelligence case study for strategy experts and decision makers looking to understand the preferences for instant thickeners among dysphagia patients.
