Welcome to the 2025 Fragrance Leaders & Newsmakers issue! Over the last year, Perfumer & Flavorist+ (P&F+) has witnessed industry leaders invest in the growth and development of innovation centers worldwide to address evolving customer needs.
This year, we decided to divide the Leaders & Newsmakers into two parts: fragrance in June and flavor in July. With this split, our experts had more space to get into their innovations and what specific technologies they predict will make their mark in the years to come. In this issue, you will get an inside look at what 11 key players in the industry have marked as influencers for innovation in the flavor industry.
In these interviews, we saw over and over that companies are listening to consumer demands for sustainable, affordable, delicious products. Value is still top of mind for most consumers as prices continue to fluctuate, plus they want natural foods with transparency in ingredient sourcing. Several companies said they are working to ensure their supply chains are as sustainable and transparent as possible. Further, these companies are taking advantage of social listening tools to learn more about the flavors consumers are craving most.
Health and wellness is still a major trend in the flavor space. People don't just want a delicious iced tea; they want an iced tea with a unique flavor that will help them relax or fall asleep. But sensory science will still play an important role in flavor creation, as some functional ingredients can produce unwanted off-notes and textures. The experts we interviewed said they are paying closer attention to their sensory qualities in regards to their formulations.
Similar to the fragrance side of the industry, flavor leaders are using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop flavors at a quicker rate. These technologies can be used to analyze market trends and consumer behaviors to determine what might be the next big flavor.
As in previous years, P&F+ tapped industry leaders and newsmakers to weigh in on their companies’ strides over the last 12 months and share their outlook on emerging trends in F&F. Some companies have provided their own introductions to the interview and have chosen a narrative format rather than a standard Q&A. All companies are presented here in alphabetical order.
ADM 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
BASF 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
dsm-firmenich 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
Givaudan 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
IFF 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
Kerry 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
MANE 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
Sensient 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
Symrise 2025 Flavor Leaders & Newsmakers
