NielsenIQ Acquires On-Premise Data Firm CGA

Two of the biggest names in beverage-alcohol data are joining forces.

Global data giant NielsenIQ announced today it has acquired on-premise data firm CGA, in which it initially invested in 2009. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Having visibility into on-premise sales is incredibly important for our BevAl clients, given the sheer volume of sales passing through the channel,” NielsenIQ SVP of client success Kim Cox said in a press release. “The shutdown of bars, restaurants and nightclubs during COVID showed the volume transferability across on and off-premise channels.”

Through their union, the companies will begin “closing client blind spots and delivering a complete view of on- and off-premise measurement,” NielsenIQ wrote in the release. According to the company, the inclusion of CGA insights in NielsenIQ’s products marks “the first complete view of on- and off-premise data in the expanding BevAl market.”

“On-premise delivers significantly in terms of dollar sales, with the consumer paying a premium for consumption in a social setting or venue,” CGA CEO Phil Tate said in the release. “If you’re viewing on- and off- premise data in silos there are blind spots to the total market, customer insights and total business performance.”

Worldwide, the beverage-alcohol market is worth more than $1.6 trillion, and NielsenIQ expects it to grow by 7% by 2027.

With operations in Chicago and Manchester, England, CGA focuses on sales velocity, traffic and consumer behavior and sentiment across many on-premise channels in several markets. CGA’s data will be rolled into NielsenIQ’s Connect platform, which will be “crucial to understand the interplay between on- and off-premise, analyze our clients’ business across channels and provide the most complete view of business performance available,” Cox said in the release.

Asked if the acquisition will result in the elimination of redundant jobs, a NielsenIQ spokesperson said “NielsenIQ believes in CGA and their talent, we are acquiring both CGA’s people and products equally.”