Catherine (Casey) Roberts

With 20 years experience in market research, Casey Roberts brings a wealth of research and planning skills to the Food Spectrum team.

From 1985 to 1997, she was a Published Studies Author for Find/SVP, writing 26 market studies on various consumer packaged goods, healthcare, and demographic markets. Turning her attention to the food industry in the late 1980's, Ms. Roberts specialized in studies pertaining to convenience foods, food packaging, traditional and non-traditional food retailing and foodservice.

From 1989 to 1997 she consulted to Fortune 1000 companies in North America, offering strategic research integral to market entrance and expansion and new product introductions.

More recently, Ms. Roberts was Director of Strategic Research at MenuDirect Corporation, where she was fully responsible for all aspects of consumer and business research including concept testing, focus groups, on-line and off-line consumer surveys and consumer database development. In addition, she oversaw the company's web site development as well as its online promotional and marketing initiatives.

Her core competencies include:

Market Assessments

• Qualitative and quantitative
• Forecasting
• Competitive intelligence

Qualitative Consumer Research

• Focus groups and concept testing
• Consumer segmentation studies
• Brand health tracking

Web Site Development

• Concept ideation and site planning
• All aspects of project coordination including: site architecture, navigation, content, design, and programming.
• B2B and B2C online marketing

As a recognized industry expert, she has also been a speaker at a variety of food industry conferences including those hosted by FMI, the American Meat Institute, Stagnito Publishing, the Refrigerated Foods Association, the International Prepared Foods Conference and Expo, the New-England Dairy-Deli Association, The Packaging Group and the National Food Brokers Association. In addition, she has been a guest writer for number of trade magazines and web sites including just-food.com, Deli Business, Food Distribution and Fresh Cut.

Ms. Roberts holds a B.F.A. from Carnegie-Mellon University and is a graduate of the New Seminary (New York, N.Y.).