IFF Opens Citrus Innovation Center in Florida

IFF, a global supplier of flavors, fragrances, food and health ingredients, has partnered with Florida Polytechnic University to create a Citrus Innovation Center in Lakeland, Florida.

Located in the heart of Florida’s Citrus Belt, the 30,000-square-foot facility features state-of-the-art botanical research capabilities, leveraging IFF’s natural ingredient expertise, processing, analytics, scent and taste product creation, and includes a 360-degree digital immersion room.

The Citrus Innovation Center will focus on applications in food and beverage, fine fragrance, body care, and fabric and home care.

“Citrus is essential to our scent and taste creation, offering tremendous potential for innovation across our businesses,” said Erik Fyrwald, CEO of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). “The Citrus Innovation Center reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation and our commitment to building lasting external partnerships that help us deliver leading solutions to our customers while delivering greater well-being for people and the planet.”

The center will provide approximately 40 jobs and is designed to foster collaborative innovation partnerships. It has direct access to industry-leading experts, academic institutions and on-site prototyping capabilities to provide customized solutions.

Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Tech, said: "This powerful collaboration will accelerate discovery and technological advancement in the flavor and fragrance industry while marking the beginning of a research park that will drive innovation and economic growth."