Symrise opens first flavour application labs in Nigeria to support growth in West Africa

NIGERIA – German flavour and fragrance manufacturer, Symrise has opened its first applications labs in Lagos, Nigeria as part of a growth strategy to strengthen its presence in the growing West African market.

Symrise will utilize the facility to develop flavours for various application areas, in particular for beverages, sweet applications and savory foods, as well as fragrances and cosmetic ingredients.

Symrise said that the overarching goal of the new application labs is to boost the development of products which meet local customer preferences and market requirements.

The flavor and fragrance manufacture also noted that the labs will also simultaneously increasing the speed at which these products come to market.

The company said that the expansion will support its growth ambitions of meeting the local preferences of regional customers as closely as possible. 

“This will strengthen our presence and underpin our growth goals in the region,” says Rudy McLean, managing director at Symrise South Africa, building on the current sales office in Nigeria.

“With these application labs, we can create products in the market for the market. We can deepen our understanding of the preferences and needs of local people and – where possible – use local raw materials,” adds McLean.

Symrise has been active in the country for over 30 years, and the company claims that during this time its has worked intensively to familiarize itself with the local markets.

“With more than 190 million inhabitants, Nigeria is by far the most populous African nation and a key regional economy. With this new investment, we are enhancing our local footprint and intensifying our long-term commitment to Nigeria and the region,” says McLean.

The company said that the new facilities will enhance the operations of its current sales office in the country.

Symrise’s global expansion comprises the setup of application laboratories in key growth markets. The company is currently investing in research on the best cultivation conditions for vanilla in specifically designed fields in northern Madagascar.

The company is sharing the expertise gained from the tests with local partner farmers, in a bid to help increase yields and ensure consistent premium quality of vanilla. The project currently works with around 7,000 smallholder farmers in 90 villages.