As part of its global expansion strategy, Mintel opened its new Canadian office in Toronto, Ontario in July 2014. Utilizing the knowledge of Canadian-born writers and analysts, the new series of reports will initially cover Food and Drink, Financial Services and Lifestyles and Leisure.
Even today, there is an oversimplified view that Canadians are similar to their US neighbors, and what works well in the US would also translate to Canada. However, this is some way from being a universal truth, as Canadians are in fact very different from Americans in a number of ways. Mintel’s new report series will help brands to understand the marketplace and Canadians’ preferences in a range of markets from beer to retirement planning.
Much of the research currently being produced in Canada relies upon primary published information, such as data from Statistics Canada. While these are valuable sources, Mintel’s reports use them only as a starting point. As well as speaking to industry representatives, we then build upon this understanding of trends with our own primary research via a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Canadians across the ten provinces. Many reports also include social media and brand research as well as qualitative methodology which provide multi-faceted analysis.
This is the first time which Mintel has carried out research of this type on such a large scale in Canada, helping to provide a comprehensive and robust indication of market trends and enhancing consumer understanding. While many Canadian markets can be a tough nut for brands to crack, they can also be highly lucrative for those which are able to do so. Mintel reports can help to identify what makes Canadians tick and for both established and new brands to improve their chances of success.
For more information on Mintel’s Canadian report series, click here.