Givaudan Builds in Grasse: 55 Million Swiss Francs for the Naturals Centre Campus 52
The world's largest fragrance manufacturer is building a new centre of excellence for natural raw materials in the cradle of perfumery.
Swiss group Givaudan, the world's largest manufacturer of fragrances and flavours, has announced the construction of a new centre of excellence in Grasse in the south of France. According to the company, it is investing 55 million Swiss francs in the project, named Campus 52. It is intended to consolidate the processing of natural raw materials for perfumery and to strengthen the in-house House of Naturals unit.
Grasse has been regarded for centuries as the historic cradle of perfumery. Givaudan had previously acquired a plot of land there, on which a production facility and an innovation laboratory are now being built. The plan is to process more than a hundred natural perfumery raw materials, including the May rose typical of the region as well as jasmine. The opening is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.
Proximity between research and craft
With Campus 52, Givaudan aims to foster close collaboration between scientists, suppliers and perfumers. The centre relies on modern extraction methods and is intended to give clients access to the expertise of Grasse, combined with the group's global reach. The House of Naturals was founded to consolidate expertise in natural ingredients within the company.
The investment is part of the group's strategy with a 2030 horizon, which is geared towards sustainable growth and high-quality fragrance solutions. Givaudan points to its programme for responsible sourcing of raw materials. Industry observers read the project as a signal that natural ingredients continue to gain in importance despite high costs and volatile harvests.