Firmenich – The Beauty Influencers

Sabrina and Idris Elba are the new faces of Calvin Klein Eternity

Christine Schott Ledes — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:32:10 +0000

Calvin Klein Fragrances has announced the newest additions to its ETERNITY portfolio with ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN and ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN.

Continuing to build upon ETERNITY’s timeless love story, the franchise returns with a duo of elevated and bold fougère fragrances linked by a unique coconut note. Feel the touch of intimacy. Inhale the scent of ETERNITY.

The next chapter of eternal love.

The new Calvin Klein ETERNITY campaign continues to celebrate romance. To introduce the new fragrances, Calvin Klein tapped an iconic power couple: actor, producer and musician Idris Elba alongside his wife, model and human rights activist, Sabrina Elba. In the striking imagery, shot by photographer Mert Alas, hands touch, eyes meet, lips inch closer. Channeling true intimacy, the newcampaign pays homage to the timelessness of the ETERNITY legacy—sensuality inspired by profoundconnection and the essence of desire.

Essence of ETERNITY.

Mane Perfumers Véronique Nyberg and Julie Massé have created ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN modern and irresistible, a fresh, floral gourmand, which puts a modern twist on a floral fragrance. It opens with aromatic floral hints of lavender. At the heart, a sparkling coconut water accord unveils a vibrant gourmand, contrasted by an alluring dry down of sensual woods at the base.

Firmenich Perfumers Daphné Bugey and Frank Voelkl have created ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN seductive, sultry and strong, it pays homage to the iconic ETERNITY fragrance pillar with a bold olfactive experience. A highly contrasted fougère gourmand, the fragrance opens with fresh juniper berry essence with woody and gin-like facets. At the heart, the radiance of cardamom adds a spicy quality balanced by a sweet and floral lavender note. The seductive warmth of comforting coconut adds a sexy gourmand twist.

To house the ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE juices, the signature bottles and cartons have been reimagined with elevated codes and luxurious finishes. . Inspired by the vibrancy of gemstones, thescents are housed in a lacquered teal green glass bottle. Maintaining the shape and silver cap of theiconic original ETERNITY fragrances, it exudes sensuality.

Pricing and Availability

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN and FOR WOMEN will be available beginning March 2024 at Macy’s.

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN 100ml $149

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN 50ml $117

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN 30ml $90

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN 100ml $120

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN 50ml $98

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN 30ml $69

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN Pen Spray $34

The post Sabrina and Idris Elba are the new faces of Calvin Klein Eternity appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum

Christine Schott Ledes — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:03:50 +0000

Burberry unveiled the new Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum, a unique aromatic fragrance for women. The launch is supported by a campaign featuring British-French actress and new ambassador for Burberry Beauty. Emma Mackey

The campaign presents a story of self-discovery inspired by the collective strength and power of a pride of lionesses. Created with live footage of lionesses in their natural environment and the latest CGI technology, Burberry creates an imaginary world where Emma Mackey and the pride come together as one.

Embodying the spirit of the Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum, Emma channels the strength of the pride. igniting the power within to discover her inner confidence and ascend the peak ahead of her.

Echoing Shygirl in the overlaid vocals, ‘one of me, but I’m not the only one, we are many burning like the sun’, the lionesses represent the collective power of female strength and support and the fact that together, we can all discover our inner goddess and achieve the extraordinary.

“Fragrance has always been a great love of mine, and I am fascinated with the power that scent can have and the way it can immediately transport you to a specific time and place in your life. Being afforded the opportunity to become an ambassador for the new Burberry fragrance feels particularly special and personal. To me. lionesses represent female unity and strength. They are confident and move together. Much like them. we stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us and those who bolster us throughout our own lives. To me, this image is a real source of empowerment,” said Emma Mackey

The fragrance is a unique gourmand aromatic fragrance led by a powerful trio of distinct vanillas. Collected by hand, the beans spend five to seven weeks drying in the sun. They are then stored in wooden boxes to mature and develop their sweet signature aroma.

“My initial goal for Burberry Goddess was to expand upon the common use of vanilla to deliver a new kind of rich olfactive experience. For this purpose, I used three distinct types of vanilla extraction. The first is a Vanilla Infusion, which provides the brightest, woody vanilla possible. Then I used Firgood M, also known as Vanilla Caviar, for the first time in a fragrance. This innovative new ingredient adds a sweet, rich and animalic vanilla. Lastly, Vanilla Absolute is darker and richer, enhancing the fragrance with a mysterious, milky aspect,” said

Firmenich Perfumer Amandine Clerc-Marie.

During the process of creating the perfect vanilla accord, the precious vanilla was wrapped with notes of bright Lavender Diva essence from Provence and earthy notes of cocoa and ginger roots, creating an aromatic balance to each vanilla

Olfactive Pyramid

Top: Vanilla Infusion and Lavender

Heart: Vanilla Caviar

Base: Vanilla Absolute

Family: Gourmand Aromatic

Marking Burberry’s first-ever refillable fragrance, the bottle boasts an elegant design. The gabardine-inspired gold label on the outer casing references Burberry’s long-standing heritage, whilst the archive-inspired bottle is modernized with a gold medallion.

The Burberry Goddess Collection is available in 10 ml, 30ml, 50ml and 100ml bottles.

Burberry Goddess Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Refill (150ml) complete the collection

Available from July 31st on Burberry.com, in Burberry stores and from select retailers.

The post Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich recognized for global environmental leadership with fifth CDP triple “A”

Christine Schott Ledes — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 21:22:29 +0000

One of only two companies worldwide to achieve top ratings in climate, water and forests for five consecutive years

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has been awarded a fifth consecutive triple “A” by CDP for the Group’s global leadership in transparency and action on climate change, water security and forestry protection. CDP today placed Firmenich among 12 companies that achieved a triple “A” listing in 2022, out of nearly 15,000 that were scored based on data they submitted to CDP. The Group is one of only two companies worldwide that have achieved at least five consecutive triple “A” ratings.

CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. In 2022, over 680 investors with over US$130 trillion in assets and 280 major purchasers with US$6.4 trillion in procurement spend requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks, and opportunities through CDP’s platform. A record-breaking 18,700 companies responded.

“For the fifth year in a row, CDP has recognized our global leadership in environmental performance with a triple ‘A’ rating,” Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich, said. “Firmenich is one of only two companies worldwide and the only one in its industry to have achieved this exceptional sustained performance, which makes me so proud of all 11,000 colleagues who strive every day to deliver on our ambitious Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets for climate and nature. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we are successfully placing our ESG strategy at the heart of our growth, providing sustainable solutions for our customers and achieving excellence with both our measurable ESG performance and our record financial results in 2022. Sustainability and good business are synonymous: our journey demonstrates that businesses can drive urgently needed change for the planet and we are determined to keep on raising the bar.”

Neil McFarlane, Senior VP Global Quality, Health, Safety & Environment, Firmenich, said: “At Firmenich, we strive to be proactive in our approach to the climate crisis. We place great emphasis on the science supporting this critical issue which helps us frame our strategy towards decarbonization. Our colleagues are highly motivated by environmental action, and we are confident that we are taking the necessary measures to manage and minimize our impact, with the aim of leading our industry on the path to net zero and therefore ensuring the best possible future for the generations that follow.”

Maxfield Weiss, Executive Director, CDP Europe, said: “COP27 showed the need for transformational change is more critical than ever if we are to limit warming to 1.5 °C, and to see consistently high ratings in businesses is cause for optimism. Only 12 companies globally have achieved triple A scores for climate change, forests, and water security leadership and I’m delighted that Firmenich is one of two companies that sustained this pace for at least five years in a row. With the EU’s ground-breaking new reporting regulation, the CSRD, now agreed, CDP A List companies are showing they are ahead of the game – taking clear action to reduce emissions and to address environmental impacts throughout their value chains. This is the type of environmental transparency and action we need economy-wide to prevent ecological collapse.”

Firmenich aims to achieve absolute carbon emissions reduction by 2030 in line with limiting temperature rise to 1.5˚C, as well as net-zero emissions by 2039 across its direct operations and value chain. The Group’s net-zero targets were validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in August 2022, making Firmenich the first company in its industry to receive SBTi approval.

Sustainability has been at the core of Firmenich’s values for several decades. In its audited ESG Report 2022, the company reported that Scope 1 and 2 emissions were reduced by 36.1% vs. 2017, while three manufacturing sites, in Norway, Singapore and South Africa, became carbon neutral in FY22, all operating without the use of offsets. Firmenich also maintained 100% renewable electricity in its operations worldwide. Firmenich strives to reduce critical water risks across its operations through annual assessments and aims to reduce its total water use globally, with a vision to reach water neutrality by 2030. Overall, Firmenich retains a Sustainalytics score of 7.5, ranking 51st of approximately 15,500 companies worldwide, highlighting its low ESG risk profile.

More details of Firmenich’s performance and targets on climate and nature are available in its ESG Report 2022.

The post Firmenich recognized for global environmental leadership with fifth CDP triple “A” appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich and DSM Announce the Launch of the Exchange Offer of their Merger to Create DSM-Firmenich

Christine Schott Ledes — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 03:16:00 +0000

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and flavor company, and DSM today jointly announce the launch of the Exchange Offer as part of their merger to create DSM-Firmenich:

The combination will bring together Firmenich’s unique leading Perfumery and Taste businesses, its world-class science platforms and associated co-creation capabilities with DSM’s outstanding Health and Nutrition portfolio and renowned scientific expertise.
The new company will have four high-performing and complementary businesses, each with leading positions and underpinned by world-class science. This will better enable DSM-Firmenich to partner with customers to fulfil their ambitions and address the needs of today’s conscious consumers who prioritize sustainability, health and well-being.
The new Swiss-Dutch global company will be domiciled in Switzerland and listed on Euronext Amsterdam.

The two companies will hold a joint analyst call today to provide an update on progress. The online presentation will be given by DSM’s Co-CEOs Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, and Firmenich CEO Gilbert Ghostine at 12:00 CET on Tuesday, 22 November 2022 and can be accessed here:https://kvgo.com/corporate-services/DSM-Firmenich.

Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, Co-CEOs of DSM, commented: “We are entering the exciting next phase as we look to bring together DSM and Firmenich’s complementary capabilities, likeminded and passionate people, and unite the heritages of two great and historic companies. DSM-Firmenich is set to become the leading creation and innovation partner in nutrition, beauty and well-being, capable of delivering enhanced growth and shareholder value creation through strong growth synergies, as well as an enhanced customer offering and an even greater positive impact across the world.”

Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich, added: “This merger is a transformational moment for the history of both businesses. DSM-Firmenich will be a global-scale partner, uniquely positioned to anticipate and better address the evolving needs of consumers by unlocking opportunities for our customers, and our people. Our two companies have an unrelenting commitment to their role in society with ESG at the core of everything we do, and I firmly believe that DSM-Firmenich will have a positive and measurable impact on people, climate and nature.”

Key takeaways from the announcement

The AFM has approved the Offering Circular, enabling the Company to formally launch the Exchange Offer as part of the merger of equals between DSM and Firmenich to create DSM-Firmenich.
The Acceptance Period begins at 09.00 hours CET on 23 November 2022 and expires at 17:40 hours CET on 31 January 2023, unless extended.
The managing board of DSM and the supervisory board of DSM unanimously support the Transactions and recommend the Exchange Offer to the DSM Shareholders for acceptance.
The board of directors of Firmenich unanimously supports and recommends the Transactions, Firmenich shareholders have already approved the Transactions.
There will be an EGM for the DSM Shareholders on 23 January 2023, at which the Transactions, including the Exchange Offer, will be discussed and the DSM Shareholders will be requested to vote in favour of, amongst other things, approving the Transactions
Completion of the Transactions is currently expected in Q1 2023
Additional material on today’s announcement and the Transactions can be found on the transaction website: www.creator-innovator.com.

Firmenich Q1 2023 Trading Update

Separately, Firmenich have announced its first quarter results for the three months ended 30 September 2022. Firmenich generated Revenue of CHF 1,246 million, an increase of 11.6% at constant currency, driven by a balanced contribution of volume / mix and pricing, partially offset by FX and generated an Adjusted EBITDA of CHF 237 million

The post Firmenich and DSM Announce the Launch of the Exchange Offer of their Merger to Create DSM-Firmenich appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich appoints three outstanding new Master Perfumers

Christine Schott Ledes — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 23:30:37 +0000

Elite distinction celebrates the highest level of excellence and achievement in the field of fragrance creation

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has appointed three new Master Perfumers. François-Raphaël Balestra, Wessel-Jan Kos and Haresh Totlani will join Firmenich’s most prestigious group of Master Perfumers dedicated to Consumer Fragrances for Beauty and Home Care. They will be joining an exclusive elite of only nine Master Perfumers who have reached the highest level of excellence and achievement in their respective fields, while exhibiting exemplary leadership qualities and a lived commitment to Firmenich’s values.

“Firmenich’s innovation and deep understanding of consumer habits and preferences enables us to deliver market-leading fragrances,” Firmenich CEO Gilbert Ghostine said. “What makes us stand out is our perfumers’ spark of creative genius. Their mastery makes for the truly successful touch that inspires consumers to fall in love with our customers’ brands and products. I am delighted to welcome three new Firmenich Master Perfumers who have shown excellence in their field, commitment to our values and who act as true role models for the whole community of perfumers.”

Ilaria Resta, Global President, Perfumery, commented: “Our three new Master Perfumers have over 80 years’ experience at the cutting edge of perfumery innovation, and their path to this level shows their dedication, work ethic, and strong commitment to their craft. They combine exceptional creativity with understanding of technology to augment performance, as well as an innate ability to drive customer intimacy by understanding consumer insights and anticipating the future trends in a complex and ever-changing market. One of the biggest mission of masters is to leave a long-lasting legacy in the market with their creations that live the test of time and become icons, as well as with their dedication to pass their experience to the younger generations to create the masters of the future.”

François-Raphaël Balestra, Master Perfumer

François-Raphaël Balestra is a Swiss national who graduated from EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, with a Master’s in Chemical Engineering. He joined Firmenich in 1999. Together with his role as perfumer for beauty care and home care products, creating olfactive signatures of major laundry products all over the globe, he is also the head of New Ingredients Discovery for Perfumery at Firmenich. Here he works in close collaboration with R&D on the screening of new generations of molecules and biotechnology ingredients to integrate to the perfumer’s palette and enhance perfumery creations. He notably collaborated on the creation of Dreamwood, a white biotechnology innovation inspired by sandalwood that is 100% natural, 100% renewable carbon and ultimately biodegradable and Muguissimo, an exceptionally close to nature Lily-of-the-Valley note born from green synthesis.

His vocation to become a perfumer started with his first visit to Firmenich Geneva’s offices at the age of seven, as the son of a now retired perfume lab assistant who had spent 40 years in the company. His fascination for the work of perfumers and the variety of raw ingredients naturally led him to becoming a perfumer. “Inspiration always comes from the ingredients first, they stimulate my creativity, especially our proprietary ingredients that embody the soul of Firmenich, they express our uniqueness, our difference, and our commitment to perfection,” he says.

Wessel-Jan Kos, Master Perfumer

Wessel-Jan Kos, a Dutch national from Hilversum, is a third-generation perfumer after his father and self-taught grandfather. His career as a Firmenich perfumer spans more than three decades. A graduate from ISIPCA, the renowned fragrance and cosmetics school in Paris, he is an all-round perfumer creating fragrances for all beauty care and home care applications for world renowned brands, winning over 200 new products a year over the past decade. Wessel-Jan’s career at Firmenich has taken him around the globe: in Geneva, Dubai, London, Cologne and Princeton, USA. During his years in the UK, he was the Vice President of the British Society of Perfumers. Wessel-Jan has been instrumental in the development of malodor counteraction technologies at Firmenich, putting his name to several patents. He has also contributed to the rise of biotechnology ingredients over the last years, notably Z11 HD, 100% biodegradable and made from 100% renewable carbon. “I like my fragrances to be simple and direct, so that people immediately understand what I intend to create,” he says.

Haresh Totlani, Master Perfumer

Haresh Totlani has been with Firmenich for the last 24 years, in Geneva, Singapore, Mumbai and London. He has created signature winning fragrances for many of the world’s best-known brands in Asia and Europe, as well as regional and local brands in many categories, especially for soap, shower gels, shampoos, fabric softeners and laundry detergents. Haresh, an Indian national, holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Mumbai and completed an Executive MBA Program from Kellogg-HKUST. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Head of Firmenich’s Creation Center in India, a role given for the first time to a perfumer. He has been a mentor to many younger Firmenich trainee perfumers and fragrance evaluators, and is a winner of the Patrick Firmenich Award both in 2019 and 2020, recognizing his creative excellence and his outstanding use of Firmenich ingredients to bring unique signatures to customers’ products. Haresh Totlani believes “perfumes change the way people feel. It makes them happy and confident.”

The post Firmenich appoints three outstanding new Master Perfumers appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich Wins Prestigious Diversity & Inclusion Award

Christine Schott Ledes — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 03:34:09 +0000

Firmenich Wins Prestigious Diversity & Inclusion Award

Recognized as D&I leader by the Cercle Suisse des Administratrices

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has announced it has been recognized for its exemplary leadership in Diversity & Inclusion, winning the Cercle Suisse des Administratrices Grandes Entreprises Award 2022.

The Cercle Suisse des Administratrices is an association that promotes diversity and competencies within governance bodies – Board of Directors and management in Switzerland. It was created to give more visibility to the many women playing a senior role on management teams and boards of directors and its awards are widely considered the most prestigious in the diversity arena in Switzerland.

The judges applauded Firmenich’s inclusive culture, the strong representation of women across senior leadership roles, the absence of gender pay gaps, and its equitable recruitment, training and mentoring programs. Firmenich was selected as a finalist out of 36 companies and received the award during a ceremony held at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne.

“I am very proud that Firmenich received the 2022 Grandes Entreprises Award from Cercle Suisse des Administratrices,” said Mieke Van de Capelle, Chief Human Resources Officer, Firmenich. “This award recognizes our ongoing efforts in embedding equality across our leadership and senior roles worldwide, as well as across the wider organization. We continue to set the standard for excellence as the best place to work in our industry. While I am very proud of this achievement, we recognize this is a journey. Therefore, we are constantly focusing on new frontiers with targeted actions that go beyond gender. By embracing the power of inclusion, we continue to be a leading creative powerhouse.”

“Firmenich was selected out of 36 companies and the Jury was particularly appreciative of the voluntary and long-standing commitments of this family-owned global company. The progress and results of its diversity and inclusion programs and the policies across all levels of its organization and its Board of Directors, are among the defining elements that were taken into consideration by the Jury,” said Dominique Faesch, Présidente du Prix 2022, Cercle Suisse des Administratrices.

Since 2018, Firmenich has raised women’s representation in leadership roles to 46%, and eliminated gender pay gaps. According to the UN, women earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn for work of equal value. Firmenich has also expanded flexible working opportunities worldwide, made recruitment and promotion practices more diversity-focused, created diversity and inclusion training and mentoring programs, and enhanced equal representation at all levels including critical pathways to senior management. Since 2020, 50% of Firmenich’s Executive Committee are women.

In addition to achieving gender equality, Firmenich is also focused on raising the bar with targeted action beyond gender. This is about embracing the power of inclusion of minority groups, securing effective representation and engagement of people with different abilities, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and sexual orientation.

Building on its achievements, the Firmenich’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy sets ambitious 2030 people goals, including commitments on human rights, ethnic pay equity, creating 5,000 job opportunities for youth and continuing to raise the representation of differently-abled people in its workforce to 10%.

This Award is one of many milestones along Firmenich’s journey to be the most inclusive player in its industry and the world of work. Firmenich was the 7th company in the world and 1st in its industry to be globally certified as a gender equal employer by EDGE; the Group was recognized as a Diversity & Inclusion leader with the Responsible Business Award by Ethical Corporation; Firmenich’s CEO joined the Valuable 500 movement to put disability inclusion on their leadership agenda; and Firmenich was one the first four companies in French-speaking Switzerland to receive the Swiss LGBTI* label.

The Cercle Suisse des Administratrices Awards 2022 showcased companies leading in gender equality and women leadership. For more information on the awards, visit the website at https://cercle-suisse-administratrices.ch

*: LGBTI stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex

The post Firmenich Wins Prestigious Diversity & Inclusion Award appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich Delivers Record Results In Spite of Challenging Macro-Economic Climate

Meredith Ledes — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 12:52:30 +0000

FIRMENICH DELIVERS RECORD RESULTS DESPITE CHALLENGING MACRO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

Firmenich Achieves double-digit Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth, coupled with strong cash generation, while prioritizing customer service:

Firmenich International SA, the world’s largest privately-owned Fragrance and Taste company, announces its Full Year Results for the 52 weeks ended 30 June 2022.

Financial Highlights

Revenue of CHF 4,723 million, up +11.1%1
Adjusted EBITDA of CHF 905 million, up +10.9%
Adjusted EBITDA margin 19.2%, up +10 basis points
Free Cash Flow of CHF 414 million, down -19.1%, or -5.9% on a comparable basis2
EBITDA to Free Cash Flow conversion ratio of 51.8%
Record Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, despite a challenging global environment for raw materials, logistics and energy costs
Outperforming the industry in topline growth and gaining market share, underpinned by double-digit Revenue growth across both Perfumery & Ingredients and Taste & Beyond, on the back of improving customer demand
Revenue growth across all regions, and strong momentum in our key geographies, including Europe (+18.9%), India (+13.1%), China (+9.4%), and North America (+5.1%)
Strong cash generation, despite higher safety inventories linked to prioritizing customer service of supply in a challenging global environment“Firmenich’s strong performance in FY22 is the result of our ongoing commitment to serve and innovate with our customers and a testament to the strengths of our offerings across Fragrance and Taste. We are now moving to a new chapter in our history, with the announced merger with DSM, and I am pleased to see that our company is entering this new phase from a position of strength.”, said Patrick Firmenich, Chairman of the Board.“Despite the ongoing challenging macro-economic environment, Firmenich has delivered another year of strong results, with double digit growth in Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. We have demonstrated leadership and excellence in execution. As always, I want to thank our 11,000 employees who have made this possible. I look forward with excitement to the coming year, which marks the start of a new chapter for Firmenich.”, said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich.

Operating Highlights

Continued to prioritize customer supply, preserving superior OTIF3 service levels, in a particularly challenging global raw material and supply chain environment.

Benefited from our ongoing investment in growing segments and differentiated offerings, including Sugar Reduction, Naturals & Renewable Ingredients, Plant-based Foods, Clean & Responsible Fragrances, e- commerce and digital channels
Continued investment in strategic markets, highlighted by the move to majority ownership of ArtSci in April 2022 to better serve the high-growth Chinese taste market
Ongoing strategic investment in innovation:
- Announced a Scientific Advisory Board in May 2022 to oversee our R&D strategy
- Inaugurated a state-of-the-art Creation & Development Centre at Dubai Science Park, to further expand science and innovation capabilities
- Launched new biodegradable ingredients such as MuguissimoTM and 100% natural ingredients including Muguet FirgoodTM
Raising the bar in ESG: improved our industry-leading Sustainalytics ESG risk score to 7.5, in the top 50 companies rated worldwide; recognized as one of the 2022 World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere; secured a fourth consecutive Triple “A” rating from CDP; and a second consecutive EcoVadis Platinum Sustainability Rating, with an industry-leading score of 88/100, in the top 1% of all companies assessed

FY 2022 Performance

In Fiscal Year 2022, we saw the global economy enter a challenging raw material and supply chain environment, compounded by high geopolitical instability, and new waves of Covid-19 in various regions.

Against this backdrop, we delivered record Revenue growth across the business, as well as double-digit Adjusted EBITDA growth and strong cash generation. We navigated this challenging environment with agility, prioritizing service and safety of supply for our customers. Our trustworthiness as a commercial partner, combined with the competitive advantage provided by our supply vertical integration, has helped us continue to gain market share.

Revenue

Revenue increased +11.1%, reaching CHF 4,723 million. Acquisitions contributed CHF 6 million or +0.1 percentage points to Revenue growth. Foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact of CHF -29 million or –0.7 percentage points, mainly due to the appreciation of the US dollar and the depreciation of the Euro relative to the Swiss Franc. On a reported basis, Revenue increased +10.5% year-over-year.

Perfumery & Ingredients Revenue increased +11.3%, driven by the industry-leading growth and market share gains in Fine Fragrance (+32.5%), and strong customer demand in Ingredients. Consumer Fragrances grew by low single-digits against a backdrop of industry-wide softness.

Taste & Beyond Revenue increased +10.7%, driven by our innovation portfolio and our commercial focus on strategic partnerships with key customers. Our differentiated offering in Sugar Reduction, Naturals & Renewable Ingredients, Plant-based Foods, and Clean & Responsible Fragrances continued to drive growth. We continued to outperform our key competitor, as a leader in our industry.

In the second half of the Fiscal Year, we delivered double-digit Revenue growth of +10.0%, maintaining the momentum that we had at the beginning of the year.

During FY22, on a geographical basis, we achieved strong Revenue growth across all regions and strong momentum in our key geographies, including Europe (+18.9%), India (+13.1%), China (+9.4%), and North America (+5.1%).

Gross Profit and Adjusted EBITDA

Like the rest of the industry, we have witnessed significant inflationary pressure on raw materials, energy and transportation costs, which accelerated in the second half of the year, as well as new waves of Covid-19 affecting various geographies. We have also faced an unfavorable evolution of foreign exchange rates, linked primarily to the strengthening of the Swiss franc against the Euro and other trading currencies.

We took proactive actions to mitigate the negative effect of these challenges, including pricing in partnership with our customers, and cost discipline. Gross Profit reached CHF 1,847 million, up +5.0% on a reported basis. Gross Margin, as a percentage of Revenue, decreased by -210 basis points compared to the previous year, to 39.1%.

Adjusted EBITDA increased by double-digits to CHF 905 million, up +10.9% year-over-year. Excluding the impact of acquisitions and foreign exchange Adjusted EBITDA would have increased by +13.1%. Including the 12-month impact pro-forma impact of acquisitions, Adj. EBITDA was CHF 916m.

Adjusted EBITDA margin, as a percentage of Revenue, increased to 19.2%, up +10 basis points compared to the previous year. Excluding the impact of acquisitions and foreign exchange, Adjusted EBITDA margin would have increased by +30 basis points.

EBITDA was CHF 798 million, down -8.6% year-over-year, due to the impact of non-recurring expenses linked to the DSM-Firmenich merger. Excluding the impact of acquisitions, foreign exchange and non-recurring expenses related the DSM-Firmenich merger, EBITDA would have increased by +3.2%.

Free Cash Flow

We delivered strong free cash flow generation, reaching an EBITDA to Free Cash Flow conversion ratio of 51.8%, while prioritizing customer service levels and security of supply in a challenging global raw material and supply chain environment.

Free Cash Flow decreased by -19.1% year-over-year to CHF 414 million. On a comparable basis, excluding CHF 72 million of exceptional items that positively affected Free Cash Flow in the previous year, Free Cash Flow decreased by -5.9%. Profit growth was offset by unfavorable working capital, linked to CHF 242 million of higher inventories, as a result of higher safety stocks to preserve customer service, as well as raw material cost inflation.

We will continue balancing customer service with cash generation in line with our commitment to maintaining a strong investment grade credit rating.

Leader in Responsible Business

We are proud to be the industry leader in ESG. Being a responsible business is at the core of our values and is a source of trust and differentiation for our customers, our investors and across all our stakeholders.

To reinforce our Company’s commitment to sustainability, in March 2022 we have formally embedded ESG at our highest level of governance, through the creation of a Governance and Sustainability Committee of the Board of Directors.

Our ESG performance continues to receive best-in-class evaluation. We received an enhanced rating from

Sustainalytics, with a score of 7.5, improving on our already industry-leading score of last Fiscal Year. This not only places us among the ESG leaders in our industry and the broader Chemicals sector, but also in the global top 50 of approximately 15,000 companies.

For the fourth year in a row, Firmenich was one of only two companies in the world to have received a triple “A” rating

from CDP, in Climate, Water and Forests. This is a testament to our efforts to address environmental issues across our operations.

In addition, we also achieved a second consecutive Platinum sustainability rating from EcoVadis, with an industry-leading score of 88% that also places us in the top 1% of all companies assessed worldwide.

At Firmenich, we believe in business for good, and in a world with rising inequalities and social divides, we stand and act for a fairer and more equitable society. Firmenich is now one of only two companies in the world, and the first in our industry, to be globally Living Wage Certified by Fair Wage Network.

Firmenich was ranked 10th out of 350 companies in the World Benchmarking Alliance Food & Agriculture Benchmark.

The Food and Agriculture Benchmark measures and ranks keystone companies on key issues underpinning the food systems transformation agenda in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Consumer demand for natural, sustainable and renewable products is a structural growth trend in our industry. Our leadership in natural ingredients, our strong vertical integration and our innovation in this space, as well as leading ESG credentials, have remained important for retaining and attracting customers as they progress with their own sustainability roadmaps.

As part of Firmenich’s program to develop sustainable new ingredients, in the last year we launched MuguissimoTM: a new biodegradable lily-of-the-valley ingredient, developed through Green Chemistry, that brings elegant and fresh natural floral notes to fragrances, highly appreciated by perfumers.

Furthermore, we have accelerated our innovation in plant-based protein solutions by launching our latest portfolio of SmartProteins® innovations for the rapidly growing plant-based dairy space.

To help consumers achieve better nutrition and well-being with less sugar, we have continued to develop our NutriGem Nutrition Innovation program, with ready-to-use integrated solutions using fibers, vitamins, minerals, and natural extracts.

Merger with DSM

On 31 May 2022, Firmenich announced that it had entered into a business combination agreement with DSM to establish the leading creation and innovation partner in nutrition, beauty and well-being: DSM-Firmenich.

The combination will bring together Firmenich’s unique leading Perfumery and Taste businesses, its world-class science platforms and associated co-creation capabilities with DSM’s outstanding Health and Nutrition portfolio and renowned scientific expertise. The merger of DSM-Firmenich will further accelerate innovation for the industry and generate new growth opportunities for customers.

The post Firmenich Delivers Record Results In Spite of Challenging Macro-Economic Climate appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Firmenich appoints Dr Eric Frérot as Distinguished Scientist

Christine Schott Ledes — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 19:47:38 +0000

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Eric Frérot as Distinguished Scientist. This nomination acknowledges his successful track-record within R&D, his instrumental role in breakthrough innovations, and his consistent exceptional performance in the field of science. He is one of only seven scientists inside the company to have ever received this coveted title.

“I am delighted to celebrate the nomination of Dr Eric Frérot as Distinguished Scientist. His valuable contributions have had a profound, long-lasting effect on the industry and have influenced the next generation of scientific professionals. Science and innovation are the heart of Firmenich and our science community is at the very core of our success,” said Firmenich CEO Gilbert Ghostine. “No other comparable company mobilizes such a comprehensive array of research activity to define the future of fragrance and taste, than Firmenich.”

“Eric is an exceptionally versatile researcher and a scientific expert whose track record of innovation and discovery has had a significant impact across the spectrum of Firmenich’s business activity,” said Firmenich Chief Research Officer Sarah Reisinger. “His work on innovative analytical methods, discovery of novel fragrance and flavor ingredients, organic synthesis, and delivery systems are unparalleled in our industry. Eric has gained widespread recognition for his exceptional expertise, and he is the partner of choice for many of our customers, colleagues as well as more broadly in the industry and research community.”

The Distinguished Scientist recognition was introduced in 2008 to reinforce Firmenich’s continued quest for excellence in science. It bears testimony to a scientist’s unwavering dedication to inspire the scientific community, continually innovate, and deliver breakthrough science. Additionally, it recognizes and rewards exceptional scientific contributions to the Firmenich business, and leadership in attracting and retaining high-caliber R&D talent.

Firmenich explores the full continuum of taste and smell, from understanding human perception and molecules, all the way to developing new technologies and manufacturing processes. This approach is multidisciplinary, mastering pure and applied science and engineering disciplines.

In 2021 the Group invested 9.3% of its net revenue in R&D, the highest investment ratio in the industry, to innovate for a better society, with a focus on hygiene, wellbeing and sustainability. Firmenich has over 4,000 live patents.

Dr Frérot joined Firmenich in 1994 in the Analysis & Perception Department of the Corporate R&D Division. His current research focuses on the discovery of new best-in-class ingredients and sustainable manufacturing routes. Throughout his successful near 30 year career at Firmenich, he discovered important taste ingredients for Taste & Beyond in umami and sweet, and today has multiple innovations in the pipeline. He is an expert in analytical investigations of finished goods and receives frequent appreciation from customers’ expert teams. His seminal accomplishments are reflected in his results as a prolific scientific author, comprising 27 peer-reviewed journal publications including 20 on research conducted at Firmenich. He is an inventor on 24 patents with Firmenich. Eric is an inspiration for junior and senior colleagues, and a mentor for science and innovation talents. His vision and work are highly respected by his peers in R&D, colleagues at Firmenich, and the broader science community.

Frérot holds a Master of Science from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier in 1988, a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Université de Montpellier in 1992, and a Post-Doc on Organic Synthesis from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The post Firmenich appoints Dr Eric Frérot as Distinguished Scientist appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Sudhir Gupta Inducted into Guinness World Records for Largest Factice Collection

Meredith Schott — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 02:10:50 +0000

Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu joined Factice Collector and Facticerie Founder Sudhir Gupta for a private reception at Bergdorf Goodman to celebrate his induction into the Guinness World Records for the largest collection of factices in the world and the opening of his Faticerie: The Factice Collection.

Factice Collector Sudhir Gupta, Mercedes Acosta, Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu and Guinness World Record’s Michael Empric at Bergdorf Goodman. (Photo by Michael Ostuni/PMC).

Throughout the evening guests enjoyed light bites and champagne as they walked through BG Restaurant decorated in incredible florals and more than 350 factice bottles from Mr. Gupta’s collection. The Factice Collection, which contains more than 1,404 factices as counted and confirmed by Guinness World Records — but actually includes closer to 3,000 factices, features bottles from world-renowned fragrance houses such as Guerlain, Caron, Dior, CHANEL and Estée Lauder, valued from $2,000 to $100,000. The evening also highlighted Gupta’s very first factice, L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, which he uncovered while working at a perfume shop on Canal Street as a penniless graduate student in the early 1990’s.

Sudhir Gupta’s very first factice, L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, acquired around 1992. Launched after World War II, the factice was made by Lalique in 1948 and the dove on top was meant as a symbol of peace.

Just a few of the more than 350 factices on display at BG Restaurant for the occasion at Bergdorf Goodman. Flowers and display by Mercedes Acosta.

Midway through the evening, Guinness World Records’ Michael Empric took the floor to present Gupta with his official plaque for his impressive collection. After Gupta was presented with the award, he shared a few words of gratitude, stating “Everything I have achieved has evolved from my passion for factices.”

World Record Holding Factice Collector Sudhir Gupta with his certificate presented by the 2022 Guinness World Records. “Everything I’ve achieved has evolved from my passion for factices,” says Gupta.

Those in attendance included Creative Director of the Facticerie Mercedes Costa, Christine Schott & George Ledes, Stefano Tonchi of Palmer Magazine, Fashion Stylist Ann Caruso, Victoria Hagan & Michael Berman, Estée Lauder’s Sumit Bhasin, Catherine Carey, Sue Philips, Symrise’s Julianne Pruett and Veronique Ferval, Firmenich’s Theo Spilka, WellInsulated’s Julie Vavrichek.

Meredith Schott, George Ledes, Stefano Tonchi & daughter with friend Ann Caruso.

Firmenich’s Theo Spilka, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Sumit Bhasin, and Achim Daub and wife Chantal.

Achim Daub, Linda Marshall, The Scentarium’s Sue Phillips, and Ross Stores’ Barbara Zinn Moore.

Symrise’s Veronique Ferval and Julianne Pruett

WellInsulated’s Julie Vavrichek and Cari Lutkins ,with Gemologist to the Stars Emilio.

George Ledes with Industry Veteran’s Tony Griffith’s daughter Monique Girard and granddaughter Chloe.

Columnist R. Couri Hay.

The exhibit is now open to the public by appointment only. The Facticerie is located at 70 1st St. Hackensack, NJ 07601. For more information, or to book an appointment, please visit Facticerie.com or contact info@facticerie.com.

The post Sudhir Gupta Inducted into Guinness World Records for Largest Factice Collection appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.

Elle Fanning is the New Face of Paco Rabanne Fame

Christine Schott Ledes — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:46:09 +0000

Paco Rabanne has introduced Elle Fanning as brand ambassador for its new feminine fragrance, FAME.

Playful. Sensual. Empowered. Irresistibly Parisian. She’s an icon. She’s a star. She’s FAME, the covetable new feminine fragrance by Paco Rabanne. A future classic, this 90% of natural origin fragrance matches airy jasmine, succulent mango and addictive incense. Its ultra-desirable bottle reprises the brand’s iconic chainmail dress. The quintessence of avant-garde luxury.

FAME, PACO RABANNE’S NEW FEMININE FRAGRANCE

To bring FAME to life, Paco Rabanne has called on the American film and television star Elle Fanning as the ambassador of the new fragrance.

One of the most exciting young actors of her generation, Fanning has revealed the many facets of her persona in films such as Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon (2016), Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled (2017), or Max Minghella’s Teen Spirit (2018). Already a seasoned actor at the age of 21, Ms. Fanning became the youngest Cannes Festival juror in history. More recently, she has starred in the Hulu drama miniseries The Girl from Plainville and in the Golden Globe-nominated series The Great, where she embodies one of the greatest female rulers in history: Empress Catherine II.

A true icon for today’s fashion-forward, connected, ultra-creative young women, Elle Fanning joins a glamorous line of Paco Rabanne muses. Think Jane Fonda as Barbarella. Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road. Brigitte Bardot in glittering chainmail. Françoise Hardy in a mini-dress assembled from gold plates inlaid with diamonds… A glittering legacy of avant-garde icons the playful, sensual star channels to perfection for Paco Rabanne.

“I am thrilled to be an ambassador of a brand as iconic as Paco Rabanne. I was completely taken by the concept, and felt like it was a perfect fit and really reflects my personality. Being part of this new chapter was an immediate yes,” expressed Fanning.

“Multifaceted and multitalented, Elle Fanning couldn’t be a better choice as the face of FAME,” says Paco Rabanne Vice President Jérôme Leloup. “She embodies the very essence of Paco Rabanne’s ultramodern femininity, and we are very happy to have her as the ambassador for our new fragrance.”

FAME Eau de Parfum will be available as of July 1st, 2022, at pacorabanne.com, and at all the brand’s points of sale in September 2022.

The post Elle Fanning is the New Face of Paco Rabanne Fame appeared first on The Beauty Influencers.