Unilever to Construct Cutting-Edge Fragrance Facility in the UK

Unilever, the global FMCG leader, is set to build an advanced £80 million fragrance facility near Liverpool, which will transform its longstanding site in Port Sunlight. The facility is expected to be completed by 2027, though some of its operations will commence earlier.

This project forms part of a broader £300 million investment in research and development (R&D) across the UK over the next two years. The new center will house a fragrance research lab, a compounding unit, and a series of testing suites, as reported by The Times.

Innovative Technology Integration

The facility will leverage state-of-the-art robotics to blend fragrance oils, while Unilever’s expert perfumers will collaborate with artificial intelligence (AI) to create new scents. Richard Slater, Unilever’s Chief R&D Officer, emphasized the importance of fragrances to the company’s product range, stating: “As one of the largest buyers and users of fragrances globally, they are essential to the performance of our products and the way consumers perceive them.”

Strategic Partnerships with Leading Fragrance Houses

Despite the significant investment in the new facility, Unilever will maintain its ongoing partnerships with major fragrance companies like DSM-Firmenich and Givaudan.

The announcement of this investment was made last year, although the specific location was not disclosed at that time. At that point, Unilever revealed plans to invest €100 million in enhancing its fragrance design and creation capabilities across its global portfolio. The company stated that this would enable it to accelerate growth and boost productivity by gaining greater control over fragrance design and refinement, which is crucial for product formulation and consumer preferences.

Unilever’s move reflects its ambition to combine in-house capabilities with external partnerships, forming a hybrid approach that integrates digital innovations such as neuroscience, AI, and product development with the expertise of its partners. This strategy aims to deliver superior products across its brands in a quicker, more cost-effective manner.