The 10 best consumer brand analytics consultancies in 2026

Consumer brands that sell on their own site, on Amazon, and through retailers and distributors have more data problems than an online-only brand. Retailer POS, syndicated data from SPINS, NielsenIQ, or Circana, retailer portals, trade spend, and demand plans all arrive in different shapes. This list covers ten consulting firms that work on that data, from small specialists to large firms.

Greyfield Data is on this list for one part of that work: the warehouse, models, and reporting underneath DTC and marketplace sales. See ecommerce data warehouses and reporting for what that covers.

Which list do you need? This one is for omnichannel brands where retail and wholesale matter as much as DTC. If you sell mostly online through Shopify, subscriptions, and marketplaces, read the 10 best ecommerce data consultancies instead; it focuses on warehouse builds, attribution, and margin and retention reporting.

Disclosure. Greyfield Data wrote this list and is on it, listed first. The other nine are in no particular order. We picked firms that publicly describe consumer, CPG, or retail data work, and every detail about them comes from their own website, linked in each section. We have no commercial relationship with any of them. If something is out of date, email us and we will fix it.

Key takeaways

• Omnichannel brands usually need two kinds of help: retail data specialists who know POS, syndicated data, and retailer portals, and warehouse builders who make every channel land in one model.
• Collecting retailer feeds is ongoing work, not a one-off project. Some brands license a retail data platform for collection and hire a consultancy to analyze the data and build the model, so ask each firm which platforms it already works with.
• Syndicated data is licensed. A consultancy can analyze the SPINS, NielsenIQ, or Circana data you already pay for, but it cannot usually give it to you.
• Greyfield is a fit for the warehouse and the DTC and marketplace side, not for syndicated-data analysis. Pair it with a retail specialist if retail is a large share of revenue.
• Ask each partner which retailers, distributors, and data providers it already handles, and get that list in writing.

Download the full-size list (PNG)

How did we pick these firms?

We looked for consulting firms that a consumer or CPG brand could hire today for data work across retail, wholesale, and DTC, and kept those that met most of these criteria:

• Consumer or retail focus. The firm's own site names CPG, consumer brands, retail, or retailer data work.
• Public evidence. An industry page, named data sources, case studies, or a vendor partner status on its site.
• Size fit. A mix from small specialists to global analytics firms, so emerging brands and enterprises both have options.
• Transparency. The site says what the firm does, who it works with, and how engagements run.

We left out software and product companies, including those that sell services alongside their product, and firms we could not verify from their own site. We did not use third-party reviews, rankings, or awards.

How do the 10 firms compare?

#	Firm	Best for	Type	HQ	Notable (from its site)
1	Greyfield Data	The warehouse and models under DTC and marketplace sales	Independent consultancy	Serves the US	Ecommerce case studies
2	CPG Consulting	Nielsen, Circana, and retailer POS analysis	Consultancy	Austin, TX	Focus on emerging consumer brands
3	8th & Walton	Walmart suppliers	Advisory and training firm	Bentonville, AR	Supplier One and Retail Link training
4	Columbus Consulting	Retail and CPG planning, inventory, and data analytics	Retail consulting firm	Columbus, OH	Founded in 2001; former retail executives
5	Brainforge	DTC, wholesale, and retail on one set of metrics	Consultancy	Dallas, TX	Retail & CPG practice; Snowflake partner
6	Analytics8	Retail POS, ecommerce, and supply chain data in one place	Data and AI consultancy	Chicago, IL	Retail practice with customer stories; founded 2002
7	phData	Snowflake data work for retail and CPG	Large services firm	Not listed	Snowflake Elite; 7x Partner of the Year
8	Hakkoda	Enterprise retail and CPG data modernization	Data consultancy, an IBM company	Not listed	Retail & CPG practice; 3X Snowflake Partner of the Year
9	Tredence	CPG and retail AI and revenue growth management	Large analytics firm	Not listed	Databricks and Snowflake partner
10	Fractal	Enterprise CPG revenue growth management	Large analytics firm	Not listed	CPG and retail industry practices

"Not listed" means the firm's site did not state it when we checked in November 2026.

1. Greyfield Data

Greyfield Data is an independent consultancy led by Linus Tse. It builds data warehouses and reporting in Snowflake, dbt, and Sigma for brands selling on Shopify, Amazon, and TikTok Shop, joining sales, ad, inventory, fulfillment, and finance data so revenue and margin agree.

• Best for: consumer brands that want one warehouse where DTC, marketplace, and retail data agree.
• Why it stands out:
  • Builds the foundation every channel lands in: warehouse, models with documented metric definitions, and reporting.
  • Results in published case studies: a multi-brand ecommerce portfolio organized across seven operating domains answers cross-brand questions in minutes instead of two weeks.
  • Senior hands on the build, and a team left able to run it.
  • Free resources for consumer brands: the ecommerce data stack white paper, the retention value calculator, and a Sigma retention starter pack.
• Link: greyfielddata.com/ecommerce

2. CPG Consulting

CPG Consulting is an Austin-based retail and ecommerce consultancy for emerging consumer brands. Its retail data page covers Nielsen, Circana, and retailer POS analysis, velocity, distribution, in-stock reporting, and sales forecasts.

• Best for: emerging brands preparing for buyer meetings and line reviews, or replacing manual retail reports.
• Worth knowing: it analyzes datasets you already license and builds outputs in Power BI, Excel, or Google Sheets. New data purchases are not included.
• Link: cpgconsult.com

3. 8th & Walton

8th & Walton is a fixed-fee advisory firm for Walmart suppliers, offering Walmart consulting, advertising, and training. Its Walmart systems training covers Supplier One for US suppliers and Retail Link for Walmart Canada suppliers.

• Best for: brands whose biggest retail account is Walmart and whose team needs to get more out of Walmart's own systems.
• Worth knowing: it is a Walmart specialist, not a general data consultancy. Its site lists Bentonville, AR and states it is not affiliated with Walmart.
• Link: 8thandwalton.com

4. Columbus Consulting

Columbus Consulting describes itself as "a leading retail consulting firm" whose consultants are former retail executives, working with retailers, CPG brands, and grocery and wholesale companies. Its data and analytics service covers data strategy roadmaps, BI tool selection, reporting development, data cleansing, and master data management.

• Best for: retailers and CPG brands that want data work tied to merchandise planning, inventory, and demand forecasting.
• Worth knowing: it also lists POS consulting and planning and inventory management. Its site gives Columbus, OH as its address and says it was founded in 2001.
• Link: columbusconsulting.com

5. Brainforge

Brainforge is a data and AI services firm. Its CPG and ecommerce page says "We put DTC, wholesale, and retail on one metric contract your leadership can trust" and covers supply, fulfillment, promotions, and marketing efficiency.

• Best for: larger omnichannel brands that want one set of metrics across DTC, wholesale, and retail.
• Worth knowing: it lists Snowflake as a technology partner, and its site gives Dallas, TX as its location. The page does not name specific syndicated data providers, so ask which ones it has handled.
• Link: brainforge.ai

6. Analytics8

Analytics8 calls itself a "Full-Service Data Analytics and AI Consultancy". Its retail page covers bringing POS, ecommerce, and supply chain data into one place, demand forecasting, store performance, and promotion analysis, and links customer stories such as a bedding products manufacturer.

• Best for: mid-size retailers and consumer brands that want a full data platform and reporting built across stores, ecommerce, and supply chain.
• Worth knowing: it lists Databricks, dbt, Sigma, and ThoughtSpot as featured partners, plus Snowflake and the major clouds. Its about page gives Chicago as headquarters and 2002 as its start. Its site lists retail as an industry; it does not name CPG as a separate one.
• Link: analytics8.com

7. phData

phData is a data and AI services firm that lists Snowflake Elite status and "7x Partner of the Year". Its retail and CPG page covers demand forecasting, trade promotion profitability, consumption, and inventory reporting.

• Best for: mid-size and enterprise CPG companies building forecasting and trade analysis on Snowflake.
• Worth knowing: it is a large firm with managed infrastructure services, a better fit for enterprise programs than for a single dashboard. For other Snowflake partners, see the best Snowflake consulting firms.
• Link: phdata.io

8. Hakkoda

Hakkoda, an IBM company, is a data consultancy that plans, builds, and runs Snowflake environments. Its Retail & CPG page covers demand forecasting, direct-to-consumer offerings built on first-party data, retail media and clean rooms, and inventory and supply chain data.

• Best for: large retailers and CPG companies modernizing their data platform on Snowflake.
• Worth knowing: the page cites "3X Snowflake Partner of the Year", AWS Premier Partner, and SAP Platinum Partner. It does not link a retail or CPG case study, so ask for relevant examples.
• Link: hakkoda.io

9. Tredence

Tredence is an AI and data services firm with retail and CPG solutions. Its site cites "focused CPG data science and AI solutions" and lists Revenue Growth Management among its solutions, with Databricks, Snowflake, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and AWS as partners.

• Best for: large CPG and retail companies that want data science for pricing, promotion, and growth.
• Worth knowing: its homepage does not name trade promotion or demand planning separately, so confirm scope in the proposal.
• Link: tredence.com

10. Fractal

Fractal is a large AI and analytics firm with dedicated CPG and retail practices. Its CPG page covers "AI-powered RGM strategies for pricing, promotions, and trade optimization" and AI-driven demand forecasting.

• Best for: global CPG companies running revenue growth management and forecasting programs.
• Worth knowing: it works at enterprise scale. An emerging brand will usually get more from a smaller specialist on this list.
• Link: fractal.ai

How do you choose a consumer brand analytics partner?

Map where your revenue comes from first. If most of it is online, start with the ecommerce list. If retail and wholesale are large, decide whether you need someone to collect retailer data, analyze it, or build the warehouse it lands in. Few firms do all three equally well. If your platform is already chosen, the Snowflake consulting firms and Sigma consulting firms lists cover firms by tool.

Questions to ask

• Which retailers, distributors, and portals have you collected data from, and how often does it refresh?
• Which syndicated data providers have you worked with, and who holds the license?
• How do you join retail sell-through with DTC and Amazon orders without double counting? See avoiding double-counted orders for the online side of that problem.
• Where does the data live: your warehouse or the firm's systems? Can you export it?
• How are trade spend and promotions tied back to margin?

Red flags

• Promising syndicated data without saying who licenses it.
• Retailer data kept in the firm's own systems with no export path.
• One revenue number for all channels with no explanation of sell-in versus sell-through.
• No named retailer or data source experience on the site or in the proposal.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between POS data and syndicated data?

POS data is what a retailer reports about your products sold in its stores, usually through its portal or an EDI feed. Syndicated data from SPINS, NielsenIQ, or Circana covers whole categories across many retailers, including competitors, and is sold under license.

Can one firm handle DTC, Amazon, and retail data?

Some try. In practice many brands use a retail data specialist for collection and analysis and a warehouse partner for the shared model, so every channel lands in one place with the same product and date rules.

Is Greyfield a good fit for CPG brands?

For the warehouse, the models, and DTC and marketplace reporting, yes. For syndicated-data analysis, retailer portals, and trade promotion, use a specialist from this list alongside it.

What should a consumer brand connect first?

Usually DTC and marketplace orders with fees and refunds, then retailer sell-through, then marketing and trade spend. The ecommerce data stack map shows where each source sits.

What to do next

If your DTC and marketplace numbers need to be right before retail data is added, see what a better repeat rate is worth with the retention value calculator, compare packaged tools on the comparison pages, or book a call with Linus to talk through your sources.