Inmar to acquire Willard Bishop

Shopper technology company Inmar has acquired counterpart Willard Bishop in a deal the companies said combines Inmar's expertise in product data and promotions with the latter's operational, consulting and strategic insights.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Both companies provide data and insights to the consumer packaged goods industry. Inmar, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., is an established source for its Coupon Trends and Shopper Promotion Impact Reports. Barrington, Ill.-based Willard Bishop’s SuperStudy reports provide comprehensive information on total store performance and, through the SuperStudy eCommerce report, Willard Bishop also provides the industry’s first comprehensive study of online grocery shopping. 

Founded as a coupon processing business in 1980, Inmar provides real-time data in promotions, supply chain and healthcare. Willard Bishop was founded by industry consultant Bill Bishop in 1976 and acquired by its partners in 2007. It is known for operational, consulting and strategic expertise, particularly in food retailing.

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“Through this strategic acquisition, Inmar is taking responsibility for providing the comprehensive access to data analytics and information that will help our industry grow in a rapidly changing digital environment,” Inmar chairman and CEO David Mounts said. “The innovation enabled by joining Inmar and Willard Bishop will be transformative.”

Jim Hertel, managing partner for Willard Bishop said, “Many companies have jumped on the big-data bandwagon. However, there is significant latency in a company’s ability to extract actionable insights from these massive datasets. Inmar’s acquisition combines our 40 years of manufacturer and retailer domain expertise, and our analytical tools, with their intelligent commerce networks and unrivaled processing capabilities. Together we will bring a new level of insight and understanding to the extended value chain, while providing trading partners with a deeper understanding of shopper behavior — all delivered in real-time or near-time.”

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