ESSENSOR acquires Centrum voor Smaakonderzoek (CSO)

Sensory Market Research Agency ESSENSOR strengthens its position as market leader and authority in the Netherlands after the acquisition of the Center for Taste Research (CSO)

At the beginning of April 2022, ESSENSOR took over the Center for Taste Research (CSO). Both companies are located in FoodValley Wageningen.

This acquisition marks a special moment in the history of sensory market research in the Netherlands. After OP&P Product Research from Utrecht had already become part of ESSENSOR in 2018, it was CSO’s turn this year.

The late Pieter Punter of OP&P Product Research, Bob Cramwinckel of CSO and Wim Vaessen, founder of ESSENSOR, have all played an important role in the development of this special and important research area in their own way over the past decades. “The qualities of these ‘taste makers’ have now definitively found their place in our company and I am very proud of that”, says Jan Willem Steunenberg, owner of ESSENSOR together with Wim Vaessen.

CSO founder Bob Cramwinckel sold the company more than 5 years ago to his son Wessel, who recently piloted it into a safe ESSENSOR harbour. “It felt like a trusted choice for me to outsource our business activities to ESSENSOR,” said Wessel Cramwinckel, who will continue his career elsewhere.

Wim Vaessen: “CSO was a striking company with its own style and I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with Wessel regarding the acquisition. This also provides extra energy and opportunities to further develop ESSENSOR.”