A global consumer goods company is opening a new fragrance hub in Mumbai, India, to strengthen its presence in the country’s rapidly growing beauty market. The facility will use consumer insights, neuroscience technology, and AI-driven feedback to develop new fragrances. This initiative forms part of a broader strategy focused on increasing the appeal of everyday products. The company
The role of fragrance
According to the company, fragrance plays a key role in creating product appeal. Scents can influence first impressions, shape product preferences, and make everyday routines more enjoyable.
The new hub will bring together sensory expertise, aesthetics, and scientific knowledge to create premium products that better meet consumer expectations.
Expanding fragrance innovation
The launch of the facility is part of a global investment of €100 million (US$116 million) in fragrance development. The company expects the new location to strengthen its worldwide innovation capabilities and place fragrance creation closer to one of the fastest-growing consumer markets.
India is viewed as both an important growth market and a center for research and development excellence.
The hub is designed to combine science, creativity, and digital technology to develop fragrances that are locally relevant, globally scalable, and created more quickly. This supports a wider strategy aimed at giving everyday products a more premium feel and building stronger emotional connections with consumers.
Technology and neuroscience
The site will feature a 400-square-meter laboratory equipped for fragrance creation, application, and evaluation. Proprietary software, real-time evaluation data, and advanced compounding technologies will be used throughout the development process.
A dedicated team will study how fragrances affect emotions and well-being. Insights from this work will be combined with AI, digital modeling, robotics, and real-time data analytics to accelerate fragrance development.
The use of neuroscience in fragrance creation continues to gain momentum across the industry, with companies increasingly exploring how scents can connect with consumers on a more personal level.
Collaboration and faster product development
Located within a leading technology institute in India, the facility is intended to encourage collaboration between academia and industry.
The hub will support the entire fragrance development process, from design and testing to refinement. Dedicated evaluation spaces will recreate market conditions, allowing products to be adjusted according to real-time local consumer preferences.
The company believes this approach will help it respond more quickly to changing demands while creating fragrances that are more personalized and distinctive.
Growth of the Indian beauty market
India continues to attract attention from major international beauty companies. The country offers a rapidly expanding consumer base and is often viewed as a relatively stable market within a region experiencing political uncertainty.
According to industry projections, India’s beauty sector is expected to grow from US$28 billion in 2024 to US$34 billion by 2028.
This growth is encouraging more international cosmetics companies to expand and strengthen their presence in the Indian market.
