"Good research answers questions. Great research helps businesses make better decisions."
As Lead Analyst for a four-person research team, I led an end-to-end market research study for Lucy's Soda Co., a fictional beverage brand evaluating entry into the growing prebiotic soda category. From consumer awareness and purchase behavior to a clear go-to-market recommendation.
Should Lucy's Soda Co. enter the prebiotic soda market, and if so, how should it compete? With the category experiencing rapid growth but limited consumer awareness, we wanted to understand what influenced purchasing decisions, what barriers existed, and how a new brand could successfully differentiate itself.
I led the research process from start to finish. This included study design, questionnaire development, pretesting, survey distribution, data cleaning, analysis, and presentation of findings. We ran a self-administered online survey through Microsoft Forms, reaching U.S. adults 18 to 45 who consume soda or carbonated beverages, or identify as health-conscious, through convenience sampling across social media, email, personal networks, and an in-person QR code.
During the pilot study (29 respondents), our team discovered that many respondents were unfamiliar with the term "functional soda." Based on that feedback, I recommended replacing it with "prebiotic soda" and refining several survey questions before launch. Small adjustments like these improved clarity and strengthened the quality of the data we collected.
Fielded April 28 to May 1, 2025, targeting 45 responses. We closed at 57. After removing one duplicate, 56 were valid. 84.2% fell in the target 18 to 45 age range, and 71.9% described themselves as at least somewhat health-conscious.
Consumer awareness was concentrated around just two brands, Poppi and Olipop, suggesting the category remained open for a strong third competitor. Health benefits, flavor, and price emerged as the strongest purchase drivers, while brand reputation played a much smaller role than expected.
Consumers preferred purchasing through grocery retailers, and most identified $1.50–$1.99 as the ideal price range. More health-conscious consumers also demonstrated a greater willingness to pay premium prices, creating opportunities for targeted pricing and product positioning.
Based on our findings, we recommended positioning Lucy's Soda Co. as a credible third option within the category by emphasizing health benefits without compromising flavor. Our strategy recommended launching berry-forward flavors, prioritizing grocery retail distribution, and pricing the core product between $1.50 and $1.99, while reserving premium offerings for consumers seeking additional functional benefits.
This project combined everything I enjoy most about analytics: asking meaningful business questions, leading research, uncovering patterns, and translating data into recommendations that support real business decisions. Great research doesn't end with data collection. Its value comes from helping businesses better understand their customers and giving leaders the confidence to make informed decisions.