Swiss flavour and fragrance company, Givaudan on Thursday inaugurated a flavours manufacturing facility in Pune. The CHF 60-million (almost $60 million)plant is the company’s largest investment in India.
Designed to deliver a superior level of flavours and taste solutions, the 40,000-square-metre facility at Ranjangaon MIDC near Pune will enable Givaudan meet the growing demand from customers in the food and beverage and healthcare segments.
“After acquiring nine companies in the last four years, we are looking to expand our base in India. Growth for flavour and fragrance market in India is balanced and growing,” Gilles Andrier, Givaudan’s CEO, told the media.
He added that the company was focussing on health and wellness products where consumers don’t want to sacrifice taste for healthy products. “Our new plant will enable Givaudan collaborate even more closely with our customers to deliver differentiated solutions and great taste experiences to the Indian market,” he added.
Givaudan’s APAC Commercial Head, Flavours, Monila Kothari, said, “Over the last few years, there has been tremendous growth in the food and beverage industry in India and we have seen sustainable growth in this market. Given this rapid transformation, we need to be agile to address the needs of these markets and this new manufacturing facility in India is designed to cater to it.”
The new facility will complement the company’s existing plant in Daman, strengthening its capabilities in liquids compounding, powder blending, emulsions, process flavours and spray drying for the India, Nepal and Bangladesh markets. Givaudan expects to employ about 200 people at the new site.
Louie D’Amico, President of flavour division, said there was a big shift in the market and consumers were insisting on natural products. The new facility contributes to the company’s Climate Action Agenda by becoming the company’s first ‘zero liquid discharge’ site, which ensures all waste water is purified and recycled at the end of the treatment cycle.
Energy efficient LED lighting technology has also been used throughout the site to reduce CO emission and plans are to incorporate solar panels.