Here's a look back at the top industry analysis pieces published on the MarketResearch.com blog in 2016.

Drawing on data from a variety of leading market research publishers, our most-read articles covered everything from telemedicine and genetic testing, to meal kits and food trends. 

The field of gene editing is expanding rapidly. A team of scientists in China recently injected CRISPR-edited cells into a human patient for the first time — potentially setting off a biomedical race between China and the United States, as reported in the international scientific journal Nature.

More significant developments are expected in the years to come. The global CRISPR market is forecast to grow at an astonishing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35% from 2016 to 2022, according to Inkwood Research, a market intelligence firm. The number of scientific papers published on CRISPR continues to soar, from below 200 papers in 2012 to more than 1,200 papers in 2015.

What market research trends should you expect to see in 2017? This blog post shares different perspectives from a wide variety of market research professionals, suppliers, and executives in the field.

The food and beverage industry is undergoing major shifts as U.S. consumers gravitate toward natural, whole foods diets.

Shoppers are scrutinizing nutrition labels more closely, opting for groceries made with fewer, simpler ingredients. Although gluten-free foods are still a hot item, consumers are increasingly aware that gluten-free doesn't always mean guilt-free.

Meanwhile, the popularity of meal kit delivery services continues to soar, as more and more companies roll out subscription offerings for consumers seeking convenient home-cooked meals.

Read on to learn more about these trends.

Retail clinic locations have increased 38 percent in the last five years, according to Kalorama Information, a leading publisher of healthcare market research. Retail clinics are positioned for significant growth in the future, as patients continue to seek out convenient, low-cost healthcare services.

Because doctor's offices are usually only open during business hours on weekdays, it can often be challenging to make an appointment, take time off work, and sit in the waiting room before being seen by a medical professional. In contrast, retail clinics offer walk-in services seven days a week, including evenings and weekends.

What core skills should researchers build in order to excel? How can researchers stay relevant and impactful long into the future, as technologies continue to evolve?

A variety of thought leaders in the marketing and research sectors shed light on these questions in the new report Towards an Insights Driven Organisation from the MRS Delphi Group.  

According to the report, a passion for the customer and rigorous objectivity are just baseline skill sets. Researchers of the future must also develop the following attributes and abilities.

The market research landscape is evolving. Customer needs are changing. As a company, we are constantly working to anticipate these shifts and deliver the right mix of platforms and services to our global customer base.

MarketResearch.com’s leadership team recently wrapped up its annual strategy meeting. Department heads from content, operations, marketing, and sales gathered from across the U.S. and Great Britain to identify key issues affecting our customers. We caught up with CEO and Founder Rob Granader to hear his thoughts on current trends and developments and where the market research industry is headed.

Grocery retailers in the U.S. face fierce competition. There’s no shortage of retail channels vying for business — including supermarkets and discount stores, wholesale clubs, drug stores, natural food stores, farmers markets, and online delivery services.

How do these different retail channels measure up in the eyes of consumers? And with so many options available, how can retailers stand out from the competition and keep customers coming back? 

The research firm Packaged Facts addresses these questions in the new report Natural and Organic Foods and Beverages in the U.S., Fifth Edition, which includes data from a proprietary Packaged Facts National Consumer Survey conducted in July-August 2016. 

What are the key challenges and opportunities for market researchers today? Quirk’s Corporate Researcher Report 2016 offers a wealth of data and analysis on this topic. Based on an online work-life survey conducted in June 2016, this independent study focuses on client-side marketing research and insights professionals. 

The report tackles a variety of important issues including budgets, outsourcing, pain points, effectiveness of new methods, and more. Read on for a quick synopsis of several key findings.

Marketing effectively in a digital world requires innovative solutions and approaches. Today’s marketing professionals grapple with a wide variety of unique challenges, such as:

• Achieving scale in content marketing
• Capturing the interest of image-conscious consumers in the era of the "selfie"
• Marketing to the iGeneration (also known as Gen Z)