Circana

Circana stands as a massive force in the world of market intelligence, born from the convergence of two industry giants. The company emerged in 2023 when IRI merged with NPD Group, uniting decades of consumer tracking expertise under one roof. Headquartered in Chicago, this entity serves retailers, manufacturers, and financial analysts by turning raw sales figures into actionable strategy. Their work spans everything from grocery store shelves to global entertainment trends, helping clients predict what people will buy before they even walk into a store. The roots of Circana run deep, tracing back to 1979 when IRI first began connecting shopper behavior with supermarket purchases. NPD later expanded this vision to cover over 20 industries, offering specialized advice on spending habits and product development. Today, the organization operates across 26 sectors, utilizing a proprietary technology platform known as Liquid Data to process point-of-sale information and optimize assortments. Ownership rests primarily with private equity firms including Hellman & Friedman, Vestar, and New Mountain Capital, alongside company management. Stuart Aitken, formerly the CEO of dunnhumby and a key executive at Kroger, took the helm as President and CEO on January 1, 2025, steering the combined firm into its next chapter.[edit]