About us

Experts in market research for the food, farming, and environmental sectors, Grounded Research is a full-service market research agency specialising in the food supply chain, agriculture, land use, and sustainability. From farmers to consumers—and every link in between—we deliver insight that drives meaningful change.

Our Story

What We Do

In 1994, Jan England, founded the agency, England Marketing, at her kitchen table to focus on understanding audiences in the harder to reach sectors. What began with phone interviews has grown over three decades into a leading research agency serving the entire food and farming supply chain.

As the world changed, technology advanced, priorities shifted, and the food system evolved, so did we.

In 2020, Jan’s daughter Clare joined the business, bringing her background in marketing, communications and behavioural science. Under Clare’s leadership, the business continued to grow, expand its in-house expertise and partnerships, and sharpen its focus on the complex systemic challenges facing the food supply chain, from farm to fork.

In 2024, to mark our 30th anniversary, we became Grounded Research, a name that reflects both where we came from, the organisations we work with and the research we conduct. Our values remain the same: stay curious, keep learning, and always go the extra mile.

We design research that delivers direction, whether that means applying robust, tried-and-tested frameworks or building something completely bespoke.

Our capabilities include:

Quantitative surveys and advanced statistical analysis
Qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, co-creation)
Segmentation, conjoint, and MaxDiff studies
Behavioural science-led design and interpretation
Sensory testing and product evaluation
Stakeholder and audience mapping
Insight reporting and communications support

We work in partnership with clients and team up with industry experts where technical knowledge is required, to design the right approach, balancing rigour, creativity, and relevance.

Our Team and how we work

At Grounded Research, we design research that’s grounded in real-world relevance and driven by a team with deep sector expertise.

Our in-house research specialists are supported by a UK-wide network of field researchers and industry experts.

Together, we offer a powerful combination of skills in:

Quantitative and qualitative research
Data science and advanced analytics
Consumer marketing and psychology
Sustainability, land use, and food systems
Audience engagement and communications

This structure allows us to remain agile and responsive, adapting to the fast-moving, multi-disciplinary challenges faced by our clients.

We take a flexible, collaborative approach, combining trusted methodologies with bespoke research design. Whether you’re launching a new initiative, testing ideas, evaluating impact, or engaging hard-to-reach audiences, we match the right tools to your project goals.

Our services include: