FeltonBuford Partners, LLC, a qualitative market research, deep insights and strategy boutique, has acquired Zeldis Research Associates, LLC, a full-service qualitative and quantitative market research and analytics firm. Founded in 1991, Zeldis’s areas of specialization include health insurance/healthcare, P&C insurance; financial services (investment, retirement, fintech); and education/educational publishing. Zeldis has earned HITRUST Cybersecurity Framework certification for its management and security of proprietary data and other sensitive information.
FeltonBuford was founded in 1995. The firm has built a reputation for delivering deep insights from consumers, healthcare professionals, and patients through a wide range of qualitative research techniques. Its focus industries include healthcare (medical devices, robotic surgery, disease states, vision care, hospitals and healthcare systems, health and wellness, pharma); banking and financial services (consumer, small business, commercial, mortgage services, retail); consumer packaged goods; and energy utilities.
FeltonBuford + Zeldis not only triples the size and resources of FeltonBuford alone but also broadens and deepens the collective talent and expertise of the two firms’ research strategists. Both companies have differentiated themselves as best-in-class providers of qualitative market research, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, journey mapping, online bulletin boards, ethnographic research, and more.
With this acquisition, FeltonBuford now brings in-house highly sophisticated quantitative research methodologies and analytics, such as choice analysis (e.g., conjoint, DCM, MaxDiff), segmentation, perceptual mapping, regression, TURF, and pricing analysis, among others.
“This acquisition represents an exciting milestone for both organizations,” said Helen Buford, Senior Managing Partner of FeltonBuford. “By bringing together our complementary strengths, we are creating a stronger organization with broader capabilities, deeper industry expertise, and an even greater ability to help clients make confident business decisions.”
Each company’s team of employees and associates remains fully intact and the two companies, which are aligned in culture and values, will continue to operate as separate, affiliated entities until their formal consolidation in Q1 2027. Doris Kaiser, who, together with Ken Zeldis, founded Zeldis Research Associates, has joined the FeltonBuford team as an advisor to help ensure a seamless transition and eventual consolidation of the companies.
“Selling a business you’ve helped build over decades is ultimately about trust,” said Doris Kaiser. “Ken and I trust the team at FeltonBuford. We trust them with our clients and our employees, and I am thrilled to be joining their team as we enter this next chapter together.”
Even prior to their consolidation, the companies will collaborate on a host of business initiatives, including new product development, thought leadership, and the development of new methodologies and technologies, such as innovative qual/quant and hybrid research solutions and market research-focused AI platforms and applications.