IFF launches citrus innovation center in Florida to advance scent and taste research
The centre is dedicated to advanced research and product development for various home and personal care sectors.
USA – IFF has officially opened its Citrus Innovation Center in Lakeland, Florida, in collaboration with Florida Polytechnic University.
The 30,000-square-foot space is designed to support advanced citrus research and product creation across food, fragrance, body care, and home care industries.
Erik Fyrwald, CEO of IFF, stated, “Citrus is vital to our creations in scent and taste, with enormous potential for innovation across our businesses.”
“The Citrus Innovation Center embodies our unwavering dedication to innovation and our commitment to creating enduring external partnerships that help us bring leading solutions to our customers while doing more good for people and the planet.”
The facility includes a digital immersion room, botanical research labs, and areas dedicated to analytics, processing, and product development. It is set up to give customers a faster way to test and develop citrus applications, with the help of IFF experts and on-site prototyping tools.
Florida Polytechnic University welcomed the center’s opening as a major step forward for the institution and local economic development.
Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of the university, said, “The grand opening of IFF’s Citrus Innovation Center on our campus marks a pivotal milestone for Florida Poly, launching a bold partnership that will drive pioneering research and create transformative opportunities for our students and faculty.”
Dr. Stephenson added that the partnership is the beginning of a research park meant to grow both academic and industry success.
The building itself reflects care for both science and the environment.
Designed to meet LEED silver certification standards, it runs entirely on solar energy.
It also uses well and reclaimed water for irrigation, follows energy-saving practices, and partners with Recycling Services of Florida for a complete recycling plan.
IFF expects the center to support about 40 jobs, with room for more roles as the facility expands.
The center is also seen as a platform for professional training and staff rotations, helping shape a future skilled workforce.
Meanwhile, IFF and Kemira recently invested approximately €130 million(USD 142.61 million) to establish a new joint venture, Alpha Bio.
The facility is set up for the large-scale production of renewable biobased materials, including high-performance biopolymers for applications in home and personal care and industrial solutions.
The facility’s production will leverage IFF’s Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial (DEB) platform technology, which will be integrated at the IFF biorefinery in Kotka, Finland.
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