Unilever has invested €100 million in building in-house, digitally enabled fragrance design and creation capabilities.
This investment has supported its strategy to accelerate growth and increase productivity by allowing Unilever greater control of its fragrances' design and refinement, a key component of product formulation and consumer preference.
Fragrance has been vital to many Unilever products, from indulgent shower creams to invigorating deodorants and the satisfying scents brands leave on freshly washed laundry.
Blending science and art, the perfumers behind these signature scents have skilfully combined aromatic ingredients from a palette of as many as 1,000 possible raw ingredients to create a unique fragrance formula.
Historically, Unilever has partnered with fragrance houses worldwide to create the scents that consumers know and love. Such partnerships have remained important in growing Unilever's capabilities in-house, which will see it transition to a hybrid model.
In this new model, Unilever’s digitally enabled teams have been involved in every innovation step, formulating fragrances that perfectly complement its products.
The giant has combined its scientific expertise in neuroscience, AI, and digital product development with existing strategic partnerships to help deliver consistent and affordable product superiority across brands more quickly.
“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 fragrances and continue to work closely with our important existing partners in the industry,” said 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.”
The new fragrance house, powered by the latest digital and AI technologies, will operate at the intersection of science and innovation. Unilever will use neuroscience techniques to understand how fragrances can impact mood and improve emotional well-being, such as confidence, ensuring its products meet and exceed consumer expectations.
The growing in-house capability will also give Unilever the agility to identify and respond to fragrance trends, swiftly moving through product creation, formulation, design, manufacturing, and launch to market.
It has already started hiring expert perfumers in the UK, US, and India, growing its global team to focus on fragrance creation, evaluation, measurement, testing, and data analytics.
In October 2024, Mathieu Lenoir was appointed Unilever’s Global Creative Centre Director for Fragrance after working in the fragrance world for over 30 years, including roles at several leading perfume houses.
“I look forward to being part of Unilever’s fragrance transformation journey,” said Lenoir.
“My dream, as a perfumer, has always been to be as close as possible to the consumer, and I feel Unilever is the best place to transform this dream into reality.”
