FIRMENICH LAUNCHES NATURALS TOGETHER IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

Geneva, Switzerland, October 26, 2017 – Firmenich proudly hosted its fourth signature “Naturals Together” event in São Paulo, Brazil launching the campaign for the first time in Latin America. Building on the success of its Paris, New York and Singapore editions, the event brought together 16 of world’s best natural ingredient producers, alongside key fragrances and flavors customers. The gathering highlighted the importance of responsible sourcing, and how Firmenich partners with smallholder farmers around the world to shape a sustainable future for all. The event also served as the world premiere of the newest film in the Naturals Together web series, “Chapter 10: Green Mandarin,” sharing the Group’s commitment to sustainably harvesting citrus in Brazil for its Fragrances and Flavors.

“The Brazilian market is becoming increasingly more sophisticated, with a strong desire for naturals,” says Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. “This is why it is critical for Firmenich to be sourcing the highest qualities of natural ingredients in the most responsible, sustainable and traceable way for our customers to delight their consumers responsibly.”

“The fast growing demand for naturals, as well as increased expectations from customers around ethical sourcing, is placing naturals’ producers under increasing pressure,” added Dominique Roques, VP Naturals Firmenich. “Our capacity to bring innovative support to our Naturals Together partners is key to sustainably sourcing our naturals for the future. With these meaningful partnerships we are shaping new business models and defining together the next generation of responsible sourcing.”

Firmenich presented its third annual “Source and Soul Awards” to Robby Gunawan, CEO Indesso, a leading patchouli producer in Indonesia, in recognition of his business ethics and commitment to the livelihoods of the farmers at source. Earlier this year, Firmenich was recognized by the President of Indonesia with his Primaduta award, celebrating the Group’s over 40 years of responsible business in Indonesia and in particular its positive impact in enhancing the sustainable livelihoods of patchouli-farming communities, working in close collaboration with Indesso. Learn more here.

The event commenced with an engaging panel discussion centred on the “Natural Producers of the Future” and focused on emerging landscapes in Naturals as well as the evolution of expectations and challenges in responsible sourcing. Moderated by Dominique Roques, VP Naturals, Firmenich, panellists included producers for Cardamom from Guatemala, Rose & Lavender from Bulgaria and Jasmine from India.

An immersive sensorial experience rounded out the event, where customers from across Latin America were invited and encouraged to discover the source of Firmenich’s naturals. Smelling and tasting sessions highlighted a wide array of exquisite raw materials from across the region including cardamom, copaiba, tonka beans, mandarin and orange as well as a vast selection of naturals from around the world. To learn more about Naturals Together and discover the “Green Mandarin” film visit: Firmenich.com/naturalstogether

 

About Firmenich

Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.34 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2017.

About ‘Naturals Together’

At Firmenich, we source and craft for our creators and the market, the most precious, innovative and sustainable natural ingredients. This represents 170 varieties, supplied by 100 producers, locally sourced in 40 countries, contributing to the livelihoods of 250,000 families.