Unilever to invest €100 million in fragrance development

Unilever will invest €100 million to expand its fragrance design and creation capabilities across its global portfolio. The maker of Dove, Cif and other leading brands in personal care, home care and beauty said the move supports its strategy to accelerate growth and increase productivity while giving it greater control over the design and refinement of fragrances.

Unilever said it plans to transition to a hybrid model and that collaborations with fragrance houses will “remain important” as its team grows.

“This move will allow us to create and develop our own fragrances and continue to work closely with valued existing partners in the industry,” said Richard Slater, Unilever’s chief research and development officer. “By recruiting expert perfumers and leveraging new capabilities such as digital technology and artificial intelligence, we will help drive unmissable brand advantage, develop fragrances that consumers love and enhance the overall experience of our products, in line with Unilever’s growth action plan.”

Earlier this year, Unilever joined the Guild of Fragrance Creators.

The new fragrance house will feature the latest digital and AI technologies. Unilever plans to use neuroscience technology to understand how fragrance affects mood and significantly improve emotional well-being.

Professional perfumers have already been hired in the UK, US and India. Unilever said it will continue to expand its global team focused on fragrance creation, fragrance evaluation, measurement, testing and data analysis.