11.02.21
Symrise has entered a joint venture with Groupe Neroli with the goal of sustainably expanding its capacity in naturals, increasing production of backward integrated ingredients, and creating new and greater capabilities in flowers and Mediterranean materials, company officials announced today.
As the majority stakeholder, Symrise will bring its expertise in sustainable ingredients like vanilla from Madagascar to the partnership. As an independent fragrance manufacturer in the region, Groupe Neroli will bring its more than 35 years of experience and realize its plans to diversify its activities in the cultivation and exploitation of perfume plants.
“Symrise has been purchasing sustainably backward integrated natural raw materials from Madagascar and beyond for many years,” said Ricardo Omori, global senior vice president, fine fragrances, Symrise. “We are now able to expand our Naturals business considerably by working with Groupe Neroli. Going to Grasse, with its centuries of heritage and savoir-faire brings Symrise to the center of perfumery. We start this new venture by respecting the great tradition of craftsmanship, and we feel equally excited to bring genuine innovation and sustainable processes to the fore to honor the history of perfumery.”
The partners have chosen the Grasse region as site for the new venture given the town’s unique climate, plants and flowers, as well as its heritage in perfumery– and Symrise’s longstanding roots in Grasse.
As part of the agreement, a fully-equipped factory in Grasse complete with research and development and ingredient development laboratories with local partners is being built. Symrise and Groupe Neroli aim to create the most technologically advanced and sustainable factory in the region. This center of expertise will produce its own natural ingredients in an environmentally friendly and socially conscious way.
The venture intends to establish long-term partnerships with local farmers and promote the richness of most emblematic flowers of the region – rose, jasmine, orange blossom and mimosa. What’s more, the company will be working with proprietary materials grown in other parts of the world, including Madagascar, as well as outstanding ingredients sourced from specialist farmers and producers.
Symrise also commits to bettering the social conditions of these expert cultivators, which will result in 49 new natural ingredients, reinforcing Symrise as a key player in natural perfume ingredients.
“Our paths crossed with Symrise at the right time where the Groupe Neroli was projecting to develop and diversify our naturals activity,” said Christian Dussoulier, CEO, Groupe Neroli. “Our creativity and agility as a dynamic human-scale organization will bring authenticity and spontaneity to the enterprise. Our partnership with Symrise relays a message of strength and vision to address sustainability in the future of the perfumery business.”