Symrise opens new innovation centre in Dubai

Symrise has established a new innovation centre in Dubai that combines development, application and sensory laboratories, in order to deliver better taste solutions customised for the Middle East region.

The company has invested around €1 million into the facilities to support the development of consumer-led concepts and taste solutions for categories such as beverages, culinary, dairy, snacks and confectionery.

In order to meet demand of partners and to accommodate its growing team, Symrise recently moved its sub-regional centre to the Gold Tower in the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

The 10,500-square-foot innovation centre aims to serve the Middle East and Pakistan markets; in addition to supporting Africa.

The dedicated application and sensory laboratories will support the teams in areas from marketing, sensory and consumer insights to regulatory, technical and commercial to flavour and nutrition evaluation.

Meanwhile, the sensory booths (where panellists taste, evaluate and describe flavours in application) feature equipment and programmes that help design solutions to meet customers’ expectations.

Sofiane Berrahmoune, director for the sub-region Middle East and Africa, and the managing director of Symrise Middle East, said: “The modern lab will help us customise products to local and regional tastes with international standards. And our advanced facilities will enable us to better serve demand in the market and optimally align our business with our customers.”

Symrise has been operating in the Middle East for many decades and opened its first sub-regional offices in Dubai in 2005. Since then, the company claims it has witnessed double-digit growth year-on-year with its partners across the Middle East region.

Dirk Bennwitz, president Flavor Europe, Africa & Middle East at Symrise, added: “We feel very excited to embark on the next phase of our business growth through our new sub regional centre. This will help us further consolidate our strong foothold in the Middle East & Africa sub region.

“Our investment in the new hub, our human resources, and the ultramodern creation, development and application facilities will allow us to identify and decipher game-changing industry trends and deliver innovation to our customers across strategic categories and the future of food segments: functional beverages and plant protein.”

Last year, Symrise inaugurated a new production site for flavourings and fragrances in Nantong, China.