Keynote Firmenich Ingredients receive Geographic Indication “Absolute Pays de Grasse”

Firmenich announces that some of its most esteemed and traditional natural ingredients are now certified with the Geographic Indication Absolue Pays de Grasse (Absolute Pays de Grasse). Approved by France’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), Absolute Pays de Grasse showcases the southeastern French region’s historic contributions and know-how in the cultivation of perfume plants and the associated industrial processes.

In 2018, this certification was initiated by the association “Les Fleurs d’Exception du Pays de Grasse”, actively supported by Firmenich and other local manufacturers. The new label recognizes the unique quality of Grasse absolutes, due to the region’s artisanal know-how in perfumery plants and manufacturing techniques, dating back to the 1700s, and its optimal terrain and climate for plant cultivation. These unique and irreplaceable assets of the area are now internationally recognized and protected.

Absolutes covered by the the GI must meet two criteria:

Have been produced in the area identified as a historic area for the cultivation of perfume plants straddling the Alpes Maritimes, the Var and the Alpes de Haute Provence.
Be from plants picked or grown in the same area.

The absolute manufacturing process described is divided into two stages:

The extraction of the plant raw material or biomass with a volatile solvent, by supercritical fluid or enfleurage, in order to obtain a floral ointment called "concrete".
The transformation of the primary extract into absolute (alcoholic washing, glazing, filtration, pre-concentration and final concentration under vacuum).

This label strengthens the uniqueness of absolutes from the Grasse region, provides transparent advantages to customers and consumers by guaranteeing traceable quality and excellence, and brings security to local producers who continue to set forth the traditions of Grasse, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, we can confirm that the Geographic Indication covers plants and flowers such as Clary Sage, Rose Centifolia, Mimosa or Hay.

With sustainability and traceability at the core of Firmenich, our mission is to grow this list and continue promoting the traditions and expertise of “Made in Grasse” moving forward.