Unilever to invest US$105 million to set up in-house fragrance development

UK – Leading home and personal care company Unilever has announed that it is investing €100 million (US$105 million) to build its own in-house fragrance design and creation capabilities across its global portfolio.

The development, which is set to disrupt the fragrance industry, which has for decades worked with Unilever to ‘create the scents that consumers know and love’, will enable Unilever to develop its own capabilities across the UK, USA and India.

The move enables Unilever to develop internally a range of ‘digitally-enabled’ fragrances, in line with its Growth Action Plan, which sets out to deliver superior products to its customers.

The UK-based major adds that the move further supports its strategy to accelerate growth and increase productivity by allowing the firm to ‘gain greater control of the design and refinement of our fragrances, a key component of product formulation and consumer preference.’

Building internal teams to deliver on the strategy

The announcement follows Unilever’s move to hire Mathieu Lenoir as it’s Global Creative Centre Director for Fragrance in October 2024, who has a vast experience of more than 30 years, including roles at several leading perfume houses.

The company is recruiting expert perfumers in the UK, US and India to work with Lenoir across its global portfolio of brands, as part of the new strategy.

“We are thrilled to announce a €100 million investment to build a leading-edge fragrance house at Unilever. This initiative will enable us to create and develop our own fragrances, as well as continue to work closely with our important existing partners in the industry,” says Richard Slater, Chief R&D Officer at Unilever.

“By recruiting expert perfumers and leveraging new capabilities including digital technology and AI, we will help drive unmissable brand superiority in line with Unilever’s Growth Action Plan, developing fragrances that consumers love and enhancing the overall experience of our products,” Richard adds.

He explains that the new fragrance house, powered by the latest digital and AI technologies, will operate at the intersection of science and innovation.

It will use neuroscience techniques to understand how fragrances can impact mood and measurably improve emotional wellbeing, for example confidence, ensuring the products not only meet but also exceed consumer expectations.

“Growing our in-house capability will also give Unilever the agility to identify and respond to fragrance trends, moving swiftly through product creation, formulation, design, manufacturing and launching to market,” the company reiterates.

Unilever reveals that it is already hiring expert perfumers across the UK, US and India and will grow its global team to focus on fragrance creation, fragrance evaluation, measurement, testing and data analytics.