FIRMENICH`S CLEARWOOD® WINS INNOVATION PRIZE

Geneva, Switzerland, December 2, 2015 – Building on its long-term commitment to world-class research, Firmenich is proud to announce that its perfume ingredient CLEARWOOD® was recently awarded the first prize for innovation at Sepawa’s 2015 Award Ceremony, in Fulda, Germany. One of our industry’s largest and most prestigious associations in Europe, the annual Sepawa Innovation Awards recognize the most innovative breakthroughs in cosmetics, detergent and perfume applications.

“Issued from our White Biotechnology platform, CLEARWOOD® was commended for its sustainable nature, its versatility as a perfume ingredient, and its unique olfactive profile,” said Geneviève Berger, Firmenich Chief Research Officer. “This important recognition demonstrates once again our unique ability to deliver a breakthrough ingredient to the fragrance and flavor industry for the benefit of our customers.”

“At the heart of Firmenich is our drive to constantly pioneer new extraordinary ingredients to offer unique olfactive experiences” says Boet Brinkgreve, President, Ingredient Business Unit, Firmenich. “This prestigious award is testament to our commitment to deliver memorable Fragrance experiences, while protecting the best that nature can offer,” emphasizes Boet.

“The introduction of CLEARWOOD® opens a wealth of creative possibilities to Fine Fragrance creation,” said Harry Fremont, Master Perfumer Firmenich. “This breakthrough ingredient is revolutionizing how perfumers play with the patchouli character, to create totally new modern fragrance creations for men and women.”

Firmenich is recognized for its industry-leading commitment to research, as it invests 10% of its turnover annually to drive breakthrough science. Its technology platforms cut across ingredient creation for unique taste and smell experiences; delivery technologies to delight consumers where and when they want; or taste modulation to contribute to healthier diets through reduced sugar, salt or fat levels. The Group’s global research team runs four critical centers of excellence in Geneva, Switzerland; Princeton, United States; Shanghai, China; and Gujarat, India. Also, it works in close collaboration with a network of open innovation partners, including leading academic institutions worldwide as well as cutting edge start-ups.

Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.0 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2015.