Fragrance and taste company Firmenich has inked a deal with Jungle, which grows plants for the food, perfume and cosmetics industries, to leverage the French start-up’s vertical farming capabilities.
By combining Jungle’s expertise with Firmenich’s Firgood natural extraction technology, the companies believe the partnership will enable them to explore innovative and sustainable avenues for naturals in perfumery.
The two companies have already developed a commercially viable product cultivated via vertical farms and extracted via Firgood; Muguet Firgood is a pure and 100% natural lily of the valley ingredient, said to offer fresh and authentic notes never obtained before.
"Our strategic partnership and joint expertise with Jungle on sustainable technologies now makes it possible for our perfumers to capture and harness the genuine natural scent of this exquisite flower to the benefit of our customers and of consumers," said Julien Firmenich, Vice President Product Strategy and Promotion.
"Muguet Firgood is a truly rare and precious ingredient."
"Jungle is thrilled to successfully break into the perfume industry,” added Gilles Dreyfus, President and co-founder of Jungle.
“This project with Firmenich has strengthened our protocols and expertise in cultivating plants, in our vertical farms, for their enhanced biological activity.
“We are now well positioned to support the cosmetics and nutraceutical industries by providing safe, local and reproductible plant extracts."
Muguet Firgood will form part of the Firgood collection within Firmenich's Naturals Together platform.
Firmenich is not the only beauty player to benefit from the vertical farming concept, with Brit-heritage toiletries brand Molton Brown recently releasing a hair care range featuring chamomile and nettles grown in the London Underground.
