How Tree Top cracked the code on kids' applesauce testing

Picture this: you're on the verge of launching a new kids' product, but you have five different flavors and textures to choose from. The clock is ticking, retailers are waiting, and you need to make the right call—fast. Which flavors will kids actually love? Which ones deserve prime shelf space? And how do you back up your decisions with solid data?

This was exactly the challenge facing Tree Top as they prepared to launch their new children's applesauce line. What happened next became a masterclass in efficient product testing that delivered retail-ready insights in just one week.

The challenge: Five flavors, one shot at success

Tree Top found themselves at a critical crossroads. With their new kids' applesauce product ready for market, they faced a familiar yet daunting challenge: which SKUs should they prioritize to ensure maximum success in stores?

The stakes were high. Their decisions around flavors and textures wouldn't just determine product performance—they would shape their entire retailer sell-in strategy. Tree Top needed confidence around their product performance, and they needed it fast. The traditional approach of lengthy market research simply wouldn't fit their timeline.

"The time had come to make critical decisions around flavors and textures, and they needed to come to a data-informed conclusion—fast," according to the project summary. This urgency led them to partner with Highlight for a streamlined testing approach.

The solution: Smart testing that delivers speed and accuracy

Rather than embarking on a months-long research journey, Tree Top and Highlight designed a focused, efficient testing protocol that would deliver maximum insights in minimum time.

The research architecture

Highlight recruited 75 pairs of children and parents who regularly consume applesauce from their established Community of testers. This wasn't just any focus group—these were real families with genuine applesauce consumption habits.

The testing protocol was elegantly simple yet comprehensive:

• 5 flavors of applesauce tested in a 4-day sequential monadic study
• Each participant recorded sensory feedback per product across 5 unique surveys
• 340 product samples were carefully blinded, relabeled, and shipped directly to consumers
• All logistics of recruiting children, blinding products, and compiling data were managed end-to-end

This approach eliminated the typical bottlenecks of traditional market research while maintaining scientific rigor.

Key insights & case study overview

The numbers tell a compelling story of efficiency and effectiveness:

• 97% study completion rate among parents and their children
• 7 days from product shipment to final data delivery
• Complete key metrics scorecard comparing sensory performance across all 5 flavors

But the real value wasn't just in the speed, it was these insights:

SKU prioritization that actually mattered 

The study illuminated exactly which SKUs were outperforming others, giving Tree Top clear direction on which products to move forward with in stores. No more guesswork, no more hedging bets across all variants.

Instead of launching all five variants and hoping for the best, they could enter retail negotiations with confidence, knowing which products deserved premium shelf placement and which could serve as secondary offerings.

Consumer-backed marketing messages 

The detailed open-ended feedback from young testers revealed exactly how to position these products in stores. Tree Top gained authentic consumer language and preferences that could be directly translated into compelling marketing messages.

The children's unfiltered reactions provided genuine insights into what excites young consumers about applesauce. This gave them reactions and language that marketing teams could never fabricate in a boardroom. 

A consumer-generated messaging strategy eliminated the typical disconnect between brand positioning and actual consumer sentiment, ensuring their marketing would resonate authentically with both kids and parents at the point of purchase.

Resource allocation confidence 

Perhaps most importantly, the data-backed confidence from the study allowed Tree Top to bolster their launch with additional marketing funds. 

When you know what works, you can invest accordingly.

This confidence extended to trade marketing discussions with retailers, where solid performance data became a powerful negotiating tool for:

• securing better placements
• stronger promotional support
• more favorable launch terms

Rather than spreading marketing dollars thinly across uncertain product variants, Tree Top could concentrate their advertising spend on proven winners, maximizing ROI. 

Case study overview

The Bottom Line: Efficiency That Drives Results

Tree Top's approach demonstrates that thorough product testing doesn't have to be time-consuming or complex. By partnering with the right research team and using focused methodologies, they transformed a potentially months-long process into a one-week sprint that delivered retail-ready insights.

The 97% completion rate proves that when testing is designed with participants in mind—in this case, making it easy for busy families to participate—you get both high engagement and reliable data. The 7-day turnaround from sampling to insights shows that speed and thoroughness aren't mutually exclusive.

For consumer brands facing similar launch pressures, Tree Top's success offers a clear roadmap: invest in smart testing protocols, work with experienced research partners, and design studies that respect both your timeline and your participants' time. The result? Confidence to launch, data to back decisions, and resources allocated where they'll make the biggest impact.

Download the full case study here.

Ready to turn launch uncertainty into data-driven confidence and maximize your product's retail success? The key is finding efficient testing protocols that deliver clear SKU prioritization while providing the consumer-backed insights your team needs to allocate resources strategically. Schedule a demo with Highlight to learn more.