IFF expands presence in China with two new facilities

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has opened a facility and is set to open another next week in China as part of its long-term strategy to gain a larger share of the Greater Asian market.

The company has opened its flavours manufacturing facility in the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone this week and will open Natural Product Research lab in the Nanjing Life Science Park on 15 October.

IFF chairman and CEO Andreas Fibig said: “China is a critical component of our long-term strategy. The opening of these new sites will support our efforts to be a partner of choice and to grow in this exciting region.”

The company’s presence in Zhangjiagang enables it to better serve its Chinese customers and focus on providing differentiated products in the wider Asian market.

Fibig said: “Ever-mindful of the value of naturals for consumers around the world, the output of the new Naturals Lab is not limited by region. It is an opportunity to combine our discoveries with our innovative technologies to create winning solutions for our global customers.”

Spread across 66,800m², the Zhangjiagang site includes a manufacturing building, which is equipped with an odour control system, quality control labs and an ambient warehouse for goods.

Initially, the Zhangjiagang site will focus on powder flavour production and will later see the addition of new flavour technologies.

The flavours plant is the company’s second facility in China and is expected to support IFF’s existing flavours and manufacturing operations in Guangzhou.

Naturals Lab covers nearly 520m² and will feature new systems to carry out research and development of flavours from natural sources. Once operational, this will be the company’s first facility outside the US.

The lab facility is expected to enhance IFF’s capabilities in natural product research and meet the accelerating consumer demand for naturals and clean labels.