Mane introduces experimental fragrance garden in Grasse
This mobile field approach represents a significant advancement in how fragrance houses connect agronomy with ingredient innovation, ensuring that the olfactory quality of plants is preserved from harvest through extraction.
FRANCE – Fragrance house MANE has launched an experimental garden in Grasse, France, to strengthen its connection to regional agriculture and deepen its investment in local farming.
The garden will cultivate emblematic perfume-plant species such as rose, jasmine, and tuberose, develop new plant hybrids through partnerships with scientific institutes, and serve as an active testing ground for innovative extraction techniques.
Among these techniques is the company’s redesigned enfleurage system, E-Pure Jungle Essence, which anchors the extraction work alongside MANE’s Jungle Essence process that uses the proprietary Jungle Kit to develop new olfactory signatures.
The initiative was created in partnership with Sébastien Rodriguez, a local perfume-plant grower and farmer who has dedicated 25 years to nurturing perfume plants while respecting the land and promoting regional heritage.
Mane positions this project as an agronomic innovation hub designed to preserve the Grasse region’s botanical heritage while simultaneously exploring fresh avenues for natural raw materials.
Operating as a living laboratory for agricultural science, the garden will focus on three core areas: soil health restoration, development of more resilient cropping systems, and implementation of improved farming practices.
Regenerative agriculture practices will be tested to restore soil fertility, increase biodiversity, and strengthen crop resilience against environmental pressures.
“This experimental garden embodies MANE’s commitment to passing on expertise, innovation, and the preservation of our region’s natural riches,” states Samantha MANE, president of the MANE Group.
“Together with Sébastien Rodriguez, we aim to create a space where tradition and modernity feed off each other, to support various research projects on innovative hybrids, envisioning together the future of perfume and aromatic plants.”
Securing raw material supply is a central objective of the garden. By cultivating numerous plants and varieties emblematic of the Grasse region, MANE says the project will help perpetuate ancestral know-how in perfume plant cultivation, secure available plant material for ingredient production, and open the way for new botanical exploration.
New hybrids developed in partnership with scientific institutes will also be grown on the site, expanding the biodiversity of perfume plants available for fragrance development.
This approach echoes a broader industry shift toward responsible natural sourcing as climate pressure and rising traceability demands reshape the search for sustainable fragrance ingredients, pushing ingredient houses to deepen their backward integration into agronomy and prioritize raw-material security.
Beyond cultivation, the garden will function as a trial site for new agricultural machinery and raw-material extraction techniques.
A key innovation is MANE’s mobile laboratory, positioned directly in the fields, which will enable extractions from freshly harvested plants and link upstream cultivation to downstream ingredient development.
Testing extraction on-site, rather than transporting harvested material to distant facilities, allows the company to tie cultivation directly to ingredient development, capturing the exact olfactory signature of delicate flowers at their peak.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.
