The 8,500 square meter facility in Sao Paulo has been built to support the company’s creative, technical and customer support teams in Latin America.
“This creative facility will spark innovation and stimulate the senses,” said Denis Ferenc, regional general manager for fragrances. “Its advanced capabilities will help us better study and understand local consumer needs and preferences, and how these affect and are affected by global trends.”
Bringing fragrances and flavors together
IFF also hopes to “encourage creative synergies” between the fragrance and flavor sides of its business at the new center.
Bringing fragrance and flavors closer together is nothing new at IFF. Last year the company held a press day in Paris to explore how culinary tastes and trends are influencing fragrance creation.
In the search for new and original fragrances the company said the kitchen can feed the inspiration of fragrance makers because it contains smells that are new to fragrance but familiar to the consumer.
The new creative center will carry on this work on the frontier between fragrances and flavors. It will not be alone in this quest.
IFF CEO Robert Amen said: “This investment strengthens IFF's presence in Latin America and is part of an ongoing global program to expand and modernize facilities.”
New creative center in Brazil
Last month IFF opened a creative center in Shanghai, China, with broadly similar goals.
Talking to CosmeticsDesign.com recently, Dr. Ahmet Baydar, the new head of global fragrance research, said the center would deepen IFF’s understanding of the local market.
He underlined the importance of getting to know emerging markets to take full advantage of the opportunities they present.