Symrise invests in southeastern European growth
The Vienna affiliate is regarded the German flavour and fragrance firm as critical to its expansion in southeastern Europe.
“Our clients in this region think of the Vienna site as a springboard to western Europe,” said Heiner Schaper, president of flavours and nutrition in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The main activities of the Vienna site are culinary concepts – in which local tastes play a major role – and fat-based products like margarine and mayonnaise. Vienna is the home of Symrise’s Margarine Competence Centre.
“Thanks to our expanded facilities and outstanding technical opportunities, we will be seeing our already positive growth rates on these markets continue to rise,” said Schaper.
In its 2007 full year financial report, Symrise said it generated almost 40 per cent of overall sales (€1.3bn) from the emerging markets of eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East.
Schaper expects that fat-based product development will continue in the region.
Also in Vienna is Symrise’s Applications Technology department for sweets, snacks and beverages for southeastern Europe.
What’s new?
The company’s sales, category management, development and Applications technology departments in Vienna have moved to new offices on a 1300 square metre site.
The site includes a kitchen, where clients can work side-by-site with Symrise staff on product concepts – a way of working that shortens development time of products to market.
It also has new sensory analysis facilities geared towards consumer research.
Recent openings
The news of the Vienna expansion follows just days after the inauguration of a new pilot plant for flavour encapsulation at its Singapore facility, which the company says is one more step in its expansion in the region.
The new pilot spray bed dryer plant will allow it to develop next-generation spray bed dried products for its clients in Asia Pacific, Symrise said.
