Crisp acquires Cantactix to deepen retail shelf analytics and expand CPG supply chain tools

Analytics platform Crisp has acquired Cantactix, a company specializing in category management and in-store shelf planning solutions. The deal marks Crisp’s sixth acquisition in the past year and underscores its ongoing push to enhance data-driven tools for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands and retailers.

Cantactix, which works with retailers and suppliers to streamline shelf and floor space planning, brings with it a suite of proprietary planogram tools. These tools offer detailed visual layouts for store shelves, enabling brands to understand product positioning and improve in-store execution. The acquisition aims to link this granular spatial data with Crisp’s existing retail demand and inventory analytics, providing a more integrated supply chain view for CPG companies.

Crisp CEO Are Traasdahl emphasized the combined potential of both platforms. “Retailers are focused on maximizing profit per linear foot of shelf space,” he said. “Cantactix brings critical insights into shelf layout, while Crisp helps brands understand what sells and why. Together, they support better decisions on both what to stock and where to place it.”

Dan Desmarais, CEO of Cantactix, said the integration will allow their services to reach over 6,000 brands currently using Crisp. He highlighted that this access would bring tailored shelf and category planning tools to a global customer base, streamlining planogram adoption and reducing the operational burden on category managers.

Crisp has been aggressively expanding its reach through acquisitions, including recent deals involving Shelf Engine (focused on perishables), SKUTrak from Atheon (grocery SKU tracking), ClearBox Analytics (food service analytics), and SetSight. These moves point to a broader strategy of consolidating capabilities that span from forecasting and inventory management to retail execution and store-level performance analytics.

Although Crisp is not directly involved in retail media or programmatic advertising, the company’s data intersects with marketing functions. Brands increasingly rely on data to demonstrate the effectiveness of in-store promotions and advertising campaigns aimed at driving foot traffic. This aligns with how Crisp supports brand efforts to prove value to retailers—not through paid placements, but through evidence-based shelf optimization.

With operations in key retail hubs such as Bentonville, Arkansas (home to Walmart), and Minneapolis, Minnesota (headquarters to Target, General Mills, and other major CPG players), Crisp maintains a strong presence near decision-makers in the retail space. These geographic advantages further position the company to influence in-store strategy for some of the world’s biggest retail brands.