IFF Unveils China Scent Exploration Program to Drive Next-Generation Fragrance

Rhea-AI Summary

IFF (NYSE: IFF) has launched the China Scent Exploration Program, a consumer learning initiative aimed at creating unique fragrances for the Chinese market. This program leverages IFF's long-standing regional expertise, which began in 1981, and combines artificial intelligence with deep cultural insights.

According to Ana Paula Mendonça, President of Scent at IFF, the Chinese fragrance market offers significant opportunities. The program targets a market that includes fine fragrance ($2.15 billion), beauty and personal care ($77.35 billion), and home care ($18 billion).

The program is structured around four strategic pillars:

• Historical and cultural imprint: Analyzes traditional fragrance ingredients for modern use.
• Sensorial influences: Researches cultural and botanical references to develop authentic scent profiles.
• Consumer insights: Surveys 10,000 people across various cities and generations, monitoring social media trends.
• Artificial intelligence: Translates insights into precise fragrance creation guidelines.

Arnaud Montet, VP of Global Human & Consumer Insights, stated that this large-scale research enables targeted fragrance development, reducing time and costs.

The initiative addresses key market challenges, such as evolving consumer preferences and the need for culturally authentic fragrances, enhancing IFF's ability to guide strategic decisions and create tailored scents for the Chinese market.

Positive

• Launch of China Scent Exploration Program leverages AI and cultural insights.
• Targets a large, diverse market including fine fragrance ($2.15 billion), beauty and personal care ($77.35 billion), and home care ($18 billion).
• Surveys 10,000 people across multiple cities and generations to capture consumer preferences.
• Aims to reduce development time and costs through targeted fragrance creation.

Negative

• None.

Insights

Market Research Analyst

The launch of IFF's China Scent Exploration Program represents a strategic move to capture a significant share of China's combined $97.5 billion fragrance, beauty and home care markets. The program's sophisticated approach, leveraging AI with 10,000-person consumer surveys across multiple demographics, positions IFF to potentially increase its market penetration in Asia's largest economy. The integration of traditional Chinese ingredients with modern fragrance development could create unique competitive advantages, particularly in the rapidly growing fine fragrance segment valued at $2.15 billion. The initiative's timing aligns with the increasing sophistication of Chinese consumers and their growing preference for personalized, culturally-relevant products. The 16,000 square-meter Shanghai Creative Center demonstrates IFF's substantial infrastructure investment, suggesting strong confidence in future market growth potential.

Tech Expert

The implementation of AI in fragrance development marks a significant technological advancement in the traditionally intuition-driven perfume industry. By combining AI algorithms with extensive consumer data and cultural insights, IFF is pioneering a data-driven approach to scent creation that could dramatically reduce development cycles and improve success rates. This tech-forward strategy enables precise fragrance formulation based on demographic preferences and regional variations, potentially creating a scalable model for other markets. The AI integration represents a competitive moat, as the system will likely improve through machine learning as it processes more data from the 10,000-person survey base and social media trend analysis. This could lead to faster market responsiveness and more efficient resource allocation in product development.

New initiative leverages AI and cultural insights to create unique fragrances for Chinese consumers, enhancing brand success.

PARIS, Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IFF (NYSE: IFF) today launched its China Scent Exploration Program, a comprehensive consumer learning initiative designed to create fragrances specifically for the Chinese region. This program builds on IFF's deep regional expertise, which began in 1981 when it became the first multinational fragrance company to establish operations in China.

"The Chinese fragrance market represents one of our industry's most exciting opportunities," said Ana Paula Mendonça, president, Scent, IFF. "By combining artificial intelligence with deep cultural insights for the first time, we're transforming fragrances development in this dynamic market, unlocking unique opportunities for both global and local brands."

Serving a market that spans fine fragrance ($2.15 billion), beauty and personal care ($77.35 billion), and home care ($18 billion)¹, the initiative combines historical research, cultural analysis, and artificial intelligence to help brands develop unique scents that deeply resonate with Chinese consumers.

The program is built on four strategic pillars:

• Historical and cultural imprint: Analyzes the longstanding and diverse use of traditional fragrance ingredients and to understand how they might be integrated into modern products.
• Sensorial influences: Conducts extensive research on cultural and botanical references, and olfactive analysis of iconic Chinese ingredients to develop authentic scent profiles and unique storytelling to the brand and consumers.
• Consumer insights: Surveys 10,000 people across multiple cities and various generations from Gen X to Gen Z, while monitoring social media trends to capture emerging preferences.
• Artificial intelligence: Translates gathered insights into precise fragrance creation guidelines.

"Our research captures consumer opinions from tier-1 cities to emerging markets," said Arnaud Montet, vice president of Global Human & Consumer Insights, Scent, IFF. "This unprecedented scale of insights enables us to help brands develop targeted fragrances for specific regions and demographics, reducing development time and costs significantly."

The China Scent Exploration Program tackles key market challenges, such as the evolving preferences of Chinese consumers and the need for culturally authentic fragrances. As part of IFF's global market programs, this initiative enhances the company's ability to guide strategic decisions and design purposeful scents, helping brands create successful, tailored signatures for the Chinese market.

The program complements IFF's broader commitment to the region, including its Shanghai Creative Center, a 16,000 square-meter facility in Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Business Park that is now IFF's largest site in Asia.

[1] IFF Scent proprietary research conducted by Euromonitor International, 2023

Welcome to IFF

At IFF (NYSE: IFF), we make joy through science, creativity and heart. As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products—advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. Learn more at iff.com, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

©2025 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF). IFF, the IFF Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with ™, ^SM or ^® are owned by IFF or affiliates of IFF unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved.

Contact: 
Judith Gross
VP, Communication and Branding, Scent
+33630097462
judith.gross@iff.com 

SOURCE IFF

FAQ

What is the IFF China Scent Exploration Program?

The IFF China Scent Exploration Program is an initiative designed to create unique fragrances for the Chinese market by leveraging AI and cultural insights.

How does the IFF China Scent Exploration Program benefit shareholders?

The program targets a large market, aims to reduce development time and costs, and addresses evolving consumer preferences, potentially driving brand success and shareholder value.

What markets does the IFF China Scent Exploration Program target?

The program targets the fine fragrance ($2.15 billion), beauty and personal care ($77.35 billion), and home care ($18 billion) markets.

How does IFF use AI in the China Scent Exploration Program?

IFF uses AI to translate consumer insights into precise fragrance creation guidelines, enhancing the development of targeted fragrances.

What are the strategic pillars of the IFF China Scent Exploration Program?

The program is built on four pillars: historical and cultural imprint, sensorial influences, consumer insights, and artificial intelligence.

How many people were surveyed in the IFF China Scent Exploration Program?

The program surveyed 10,000 people across multiple cities and generations to capture consumer preferences.

What challenges does the IFF China Scent Exploration Program address?

The program addresses evolving consumer preferences and the need for culturally authentic fragrances in the Chinese market.

How does the IFF China Scent Exploration Program impact development time and costs?

By leveraging large-scale consumer insights and AI, the program aims to reduce development time and costs for creating new fragrances.